Most of us hate them. People with Alzheimers' were asked how they felt about them and their responses surprised me. They liked them. Thought anything that brings the disease to the public was good. The question was asked on the Alz. Assoc community site
I wonder if we hate them because we don't feel the ads cover what we really experience and what our spouses are going through. That they are too mild. Plus one used to indicate if you took their drug, you would improve. That one sucked big time.
The keys in the fridge happens to young mothers taking kids all over the place as much as AD people!
this is my own opinion but i dont like them either. its a very shallow way of making a point and a very sugarcoated one of the real facts we caregivers know exist. plus my life revolves around AD and a shallow commercial just brings it further home to stare me in the face when i am looking for some time on TV away from it!
as far as AD victims liking the ads themselves, well -they DO have AD and could or not like anything-:)depending on the stage theyre at- but yes getting it out there i guess is an acheivment if a rather slow one. divvi
While I do not like the current ads, I am very happy that they are actually ads ABOUT AD. this is helping to make AD a household word and usually once that happens, people tend to open up their hearts and pockets more to reasearch projects.
Actually I don't mind the keys in the refrigerator ad at all. My husband actually did things like that. Clean plastic boxes in the crisper. Gym towels on the kitchen shelves.
I would really worry about a mother who was putting the keys in the refrigerator more than once. And what the ad says is that the LO had left them in other bad and quite unusual places in the past.
The Exelon patch ads actually don't bother me at all. They show the reality from the caregiver's perspective. And they show her hurting, and her being able to have a few moments of connection with her mother once she is on the drug. At least that is honest. The drugs do result in some improvement in some cases. My husband was one of them and I think the long plateau with its very, very slow slide is the result of the drugs working.
I agree, Starling, I don't much like the ads - but then I tune out all commercials - I just hate them. But I do attribute the ALZ drugs to my DH's long plateau and, as you say, very, very slow slide. And, the very fact that we got him them so quickly - as soon as I saw strange things happening with him. I believe starting the drugs very early on will help many.
I now the point is to gain attention for AD, but to me it is about money. It reminds me too much of all the add for various RX so you will talk your doctor into prescribing it thus more money for the pharmaceutical companies. Another view; how many people that have just plain bad memories (dumb blond jokes) are going to run to their doctor and ask for Aricept so they won't forget so much?
But, I guess if it raises awareness then it is good. And as awareness increases, the 'shame' in being on the drugs for AD will not be as great.