Bill Ritter, Captain Sully Sullenberger, and Danny Glover have little in common professionally — but this summer, all three went public with an Alzheimer's diagnosis, and all three made clear they intend to keep contributing to public life. AARP's new feature uses their stories as a window into a reality of Alzheimer's that rarely gets attention: what the disease looks like in its early stages, when patients still have the time and capacity to plan, work, and live with purpose. Read the full piece here →

From AARP, by Anna Medaris:

"We often only talk about or see people who are in more advanced stages, where it's quite obvious that they're impaired. But there are lots of people who are still in very mild stages and still functioning well in society and able to do most of their day-to-day activities without too much difficulty. A diagnosis doesn't necessarily mean that you need to drastically change your life immediately."

"Alzheimer's progresses differently from person to person, so decisions about reducing or stopping work should be based on changes in day-to-day functioning, judgment, reliability and safety rather than the diagnosis alone."

"One of the most important things to me was to make plans for me while I could. My mom and nana never had the opportunity."

AARP's recent piece is a timely and human look at a new reality taking shape in Alzheimer's care — one where early diagnosis gives patients the time and tools to keep living on their own terms.

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