The common perception of Alzheimer's from people who haven't experienced it is that it's more like a 'quirk' which all elderly people experience at some point. But Alzheimer's is so much more than simple forgetfulness. With the memory loss comes confusion . . . What was once the bedroom turns into a frightening place . . . . They may not recognize family members and instead see them as strangers with unknown intentions. This gives them so much stress every day that they may lash out or become depressed.
--Charlie Poole, Alzheimer's caregiver

Alzheimer's patients are one of the fastest-growing populations among aging communities in the United States. In 2024 roughly 6.9 million Americans aged sixty-five and older had Alzheimer's disease. By 2050 that number is set to nearly double.

An Alzheimer's diagnosis affects more than just the patient--it impacts their family and friends too. As the disease progresses, the patient's memory deteriorates, and their behavior may suddenly change. They may need more attention, care, and supervision. Many people are thrust into the role of a caregiver without preparation or knowledge of what's to come.

In Disconnected: Understanding Alzheimer's Disease, author and registered nurse Connie Goldsmith looks at the stages of Alzheimer's, details current clinical research, and shares more than a dozen stories of patients and their families. No matter what age you are, it's important to grow awareness for Alzheimer's, recognize its signs and symptoms--and learn what you can do in the event that someone you love is diagnosed with the disease.

What made workers in the American South so tired and feeble during the 19th and early 20th centuries? This exciting medical mystery uncovers the secrets of the parasite hookworm, commonly known as the American Murderer, and is the latest title in Gail Jarrow's (YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults award-winning author) Medical Fiascoes series.

Imagine microscopic worms living in the soil. They enter your body through your bare feet, travel to your intestines, and stay there for years sucking your blood like vampires. You feel exhausted. You get sick easily. It sounds like a nightmare, but that's what happened in the American South during the 1800s and early 1900s.

Doctors never guessed that hookworms were making patients ill, but zoologist Charles Stiles knew better. Working with one of the first public health organizations, he and his colleagues treated the sick and showed Southerners how to protect themselves by wearing shoes and using outhouses so that the worms didn't spread. Although hookworm was eventually controlled in the US, the parasite remains a serious health problem throughout the world. The topic of this STEM book remains relevant and will fascinate readers interested in medicine, science, history--and gross stories about bloodsucking creatures.

Let's face it, cancer sucks. This book provides real-life advice from real-life teens designed to help teens live with a parent who is fighting cancer.

One million American teenagers live with a parent who is fighting cancer. It's a hard blow for those already navigating high school, preparing for college, and becoming increasingly independent.

Author Maya Silver was 15 when her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. She and her dad, Marc, have combined their family's personal experience with advice from dozens of medical professionals and real stories from 100 teens--all going through the same thing Maya did.

The topic of cancer can be difficult to approach, but in a highly designed, engaging style, this book gives practical guidance that includes:

• How to talk about the diagnosis (and what does diagnosis even mean, anyway?)
• The best outlets for stress (punching a wall is not a great one, but should it happen, there are instructions for a patch job)
• How to deal with friends (especially one the ones with 'pity eyes')
• Whether to tell the teachers and guidance counselors and what they should know (how not to get embarrassed in class)
• What happens in a therapy session and how to find a support group if you want one

A special section for parents also gives tips on strategies for sharing the news and explaining cancer to a child, making sure your child doesn't become the parent, what to do if the outlook is grim, and tips for how to live life after cancer.

My Parent Has Cancer and It Really Sucks allows teens to see that they are not alone. That no matter how rough things get, they will get through this difficult time. That everything they're feeling is ok. Essays from Gilda Radner's Gilda's Club annual contest are an especially poignant and moving testimony of how other teens dealt with their family's situation.

Praise for My Parent Has Cancer and It Really Sucks:

Wisely crafted into a wonderfully warm, engaging and informative book that reads like a chat with a group of friends with helpful advice from the experts. --Paula K. Rauch MD, Director of the Marjorie E. Korff Parenting At a Challenging Time Program

A must read for parents, kids, teachers and medical staff who know anyone with cancer. You will learn something on every page. --Anna Gottlieb, MPA, Founder and CEO Gilda's Club Seattle

This book is a 'must have' for oncologists, cancer treatment centers and families with teenagers. --Kathleen McCue, MA, LSW, CCLS, Director of the Children's Program at The Gathering Place, Cleveland, OH

My Parent Has Cancer and It Really Sucks provides a much-needed toolkit for teens coping with a parent's cancer. --Jane Saccaro, CEO of Camp Kesem, a camp for children who have a parent with cancer

In medical knowledge the Egyptian leaves the rest of the world behind. -Homer, Greek poet

I swear by Apollo the physician . . . and all the gods and goddesses, and call them to witness that . . . I will prescribe treatments to the best of my ability and judgement for the good of the sick, and never for a harmful or illicit purpose.--Hippocratic oath excerpt, ca. 500s BCE

Modern humans have been around for about 300,000 years, and medical technology grew alongside them. Ancient civilizations developed advanced medical techniques and devices that helped improve and extend people's lives. Early people learned which plants could help with issues such as pain and anxiety and developed ways to treat injuries such as bone fractures.

The first written records of medical technology come from Egypt, but ancient people around the world recorded medical treatments and theories. Over centuries, doctors developed different surgeries, remedies, early forms of vaccination, and even hospitals. Even though not every treatment worked, each attempt helped advance medical knowledge and practice.

From chew sticks to plastic surgery, discover ancient medical technology and find out how early medical innovation shaped modern medicine.

In medical knowledge the Egyptian leaves the rest of the world behind. -Homer, Greek poet

I swear by Apollo the physician . . . and all the gods and goddesses, and call them to witness that . . . I will prescribe treatments to the best of my ability and judgement for the good of the sick, and never for a harmful or illicit purpose.--Hippocratic oath excerpt, ca. 500s BCE

Modern humans have been around for about 300,000 years, and medical technology grew alongside them. Ancient civilizations developed advanced medical techniques and devices that helped improve and extend people's lives. Early people learned which plants could help with issues such as pain and anxiety and developed ways to treat injuries such as bone fractures.

The first written records of medical technology come from Egypt, but ancient people around the world recorded medical treatments and theories. Over centuries, doctors developed different surgeries, remedies, early forms of vaccination, and even hospitals. Even though not every treatment worked, each attempt helped advance medical knowledge and practice.

From chew sticks to plastic surgery, discover ancient medical technology and find out how early medical innovation shaped modern medicine.

While many scientists believed influenza would cause the next great pandemic, no one was prepared for the new strain of coronavirus that appeared in 2019. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has infiltrated every country and put global public health and the economy at risk. Health-care systems have been pushed to the limit as protective gear, life-saving equipment, tests, and vaccines are scarce and in high demand. From the initial infection to the widespread impact on daily life, Understanding Coronaviruses examines the intricacies of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and how they compare to previous viruses and pandemics.

Young adults need eight to ten hours of sleep each night, yet nearly half fail to get the sleep they need, and nearly a third have fallen asleep in school due to insufficient sleep. So many Americans--both teens and adults--lack quality sleep that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls sleep deprivation a public health epidemic. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to poor performance during the day and impacts stress levels, academic performance, and physical and mental health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that sleeping difficulties contribute to one-third of auto accidents. And drowsy-driving can lead to fatalities.

Author and registered nurse, Connie Goldsmith presents a much needed scientific and informative approach to the topic of sleep, making the case for taking measures to get adequate and quality sleep each night to combat anxiety, depression, and stress. Running on Empty: Sleeplessness in American Teens provides readers with information on the why and tips for the how to sleep well.

This book offers valuable information and support for teenagers who have a family member with dementia. It addresses the challenges they may face, provides practical advice, suggests ways to interact positively and assist the family member, and features stories from other young adults who know and care for people with dementia.

Throughout history, several deadly pandemics brought humanity to its knees, killing millions, and recent outbreaks of Ebola and Zika took coordinated international efforts to prevent them from spreading. Learn about factors that contribute to the spread of disease by examining past pandemics and epidemics, including the Bubonic Plague, smallpox Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and Zika. Examine case studies of potential pandemic diseases, like SARS and cholera, and find out how pathogens and antibiotics work. See how human activities such as global air travel and the disruption of animal habitats contribute to the risk of a new pandemic. And discover how scientists are striving to contain and control the spread of disease, both locally and globally.

It's time to bare it all about bodies

We all experience the world in a body, but we don't usually take the time to explore what it really means to have and live within one. Just as every person has a unique personality, every person has a unique body, and every body tells its own story.

In Body Talk, thirty-seven writers, models, actors, musicians, and artists share essays, lists, comics, and illustrations--about everything from size and shape to scoliosis, from eating disorders to cancer, from sexuality and gender identity to the use of makeup as armor. Together, they contribute a broad variety of perspectives on what it's like to live in their particular bodies--and how their bodies have helped to inform who they are and how they move through the world.

Come on in, turn the pages, and join the celebration of our diverse, miraculous, beautiful bodies