NORTHAMPTON, Mass., October 26, 2001 --- In response to consumer demand for information about Alzheimer’s disease, Healthcommunities.com®, Inc., will sponsor an online chat on www.neurologychannel.com, November 1, 2001, at 9:00 p.m. EST. Renowned author and former television executive Jacqueline Marcell will host the chat and will answer questions from participants.

"Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people each year, and many adult children are providing care for a parent with Alzheimer's," said Dr. Stanley J. Swierzewski III, Healthcommunities.com founder and CEO. "We believe that Ms. Marcell’s expertise will be valuable to the caregivers and family members of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease."

A progressive disease of the brain, Alzheimer's is characterized by a gradual loss of memory and other cognitive functions. It is the most common form of dementia, a general term referring to loss of memory and the ability to think, reason and function appropriately. The National Institute on Aging estimates that approximately four million people in the United States (more than one in ten over age 65) have Alzheimer's disease.

Jacqueline Marcell is an author, publisher and lecturer who has dedicated her work to elder care issues. She drew from her own experiences as the daughter of an Alzheimer's patient to write her true story, Elder Rage or Take My Father... Please! How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents. Marcell is an advocate for elder care awareness and reform, and is a frequent guest on talk radio, television programs and the lecture circuit.

Healthcommunities.com®, Inc. Offers Interactive Forum
Add 2-2-2

Healthcommunities.com®, Inc., a privately held company founded in 1998, provides innovative online resources for health care consumers and professionals. The company’s medical specialty Web channels, in partnership with leading pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, serve health care consumers searching for reliable information. Healthcommunities.com is a Physician Developed and Monitored™ online community providing medical information and resources in a trusted environment.