Currently, approximately 500,000 Americans under the age of 65 have early-onset Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Equally striking is the number of young Americans who are providing care for an afflicted parent: an estimated 250,000 children between the ages of 8 and 18.

“My Name is Lisa” (embedded below) is a short film about a 13 year-old girl dealing with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. The poignant piece has won nearly a dozen awards and nominations. Brilliantly acted, it reveals a painful truth about this awful disease which as yet has no cure: even the very young are deeply affected and are often closely involved with their loved one’s care, all the while watching their decline.

At any age, losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s is extremely painful. I am currently grieving the loss of my beloved grandfather, who died on January 21, 2009, from complications of Alzheimer’s. It does not matter how old your loved one is – it’s terrible to lose someone you love. And, with Alzheimer’s disease, you lose your loved one twice: once to the disease, and once to their subsequent death after the disease advances.

But a completely different set of issues and challenges emerge when young children with young parents begin the Alzheimer’s journey.  In many cases, the diagnosis means the loss of a job, and that can be absolutely devastating if that person is the primary breadwinner, who is perhaps in the prime of her career. Imagine the ripple effect: loss of health insurance, loss of income to put towards a college savings fund, loss of that person who dreamed of walking his daughter down the aisle…and the losses continue. Imagine having to explain to your fifteen-year-old friends why your Dad keeps asking the same questions over and over, or why he comes into the room with his clothes on backwards. Imagine being a stay-at-home mom and being forced to find a job when your husband loses his – and seeking for adult and child day care services at the same time. Imagine the woman who has her own law firm but cannot remember that the milk goes in the refrigerator, and not the oven.

And it may not always be a parent’s dementia that a child must confront on a daily basis. Many baby boomers find themselves in the “sandwich generation” – having to care for an aging parent while raising their young children, and many choose to either move in with that needy parent or bring them into their own home. This creates a completely new and challenging dynamic for all parties involved, and no one tells that story better than Julie Winokur of Talking Eyes Media, who shares her family’s deeply personal experiences and struggles in “The Sandwich Generation: Parts 1 & 2 – Life with Herbie.”

So many people are not even aware of the fact that you can get Alzheimer’s at any age: it is not “old-timers” disease as some mistakenly say. It is not senility, or hardening of the arteries; it is a disease that is terminal, although it can linger for many years. It is a disease that robs the individual of his essence, his health and vitality, his ability to make decisions: many diseases ravage the body, but Alzheimer’s ravages the mind and the body simultaneously, though not always in the same proportion.

There are a number of excellent resources for young people who are dealing with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia in their home or family…

The Alzheimer’s Association has a page full of downloadable PDFs and links just for kids and teens. The page also links to information about Camp Building Bridges, a special summer camp getaway for children ages 13-16 who have a parent or grandparent with the disease.

For adults who have just received the diagnosis for either their spouse or parent and now must share the news with their children, an excellent article on Care2.com gives sound advice on dealing with this delicate situation:

A number of children’s books have been written on the subject, including “What’s Happening to Grandpa?” by Maria Shriver, or one of my favorites, “Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge” by Mem Fox. Information on Shriver’s book and other similar stories can be found on the Alzheimer’s Association website or on sites like amazon.com.

Alzheimer’s never minds age. It is a disease that demands attention, awareness, and action: if you know someone at any age who is struggling with some type of cognitive impairment, get help. The Alzheimer’s Association’s Helpline is a toll-free number – 1.800.272.3900 - staffed by live representatives 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call to be connected with resources in your area. Call if you are 10 years old and concerned about your Mom. Call if you are 60 years old and concerned about your Dad. Don’t try to go it alone at any age.

- Michelle Seitzer