SPOILERS: Vampire Diaries, Glee, Fringe, True Blood

SHUT UP! Shut up, shut up, shut up! I’m so blown away by The Vampire Diaries, and the last two episodes shocked my socks off, but this news has me hanging on by my already chewed fingernails.

What’s coming up on Vampire Diaries? — Monique
MICKEY: Witches and vampires aren’t the only supernatural creatures in Mystic Falls. It won’t be right away, but a major male character will reveal himself to be a werewolf. And don’t think having read the books will help you figure this one out. In fact, the werewolf in question won’t even know he’s a werewolf, initially at least. (TV Guide – Mega Buzz)

Who do you think it could be? My guess is Jeremy. I don’t know why, exactly, but maybe I’ll like him better as a werewolf. Right now, I just want to slap him.

In other spoiler news from TV Guide, Glee’s Rachel and Finn are a no-go; we get more on Fringe’s Broyles as we see him in the alternate universe; and the burning question about True Blood’s Terry and Arlene is answered.

Pre-Order HBO’s “The Alzheimer’s Project”

Were you as touched and encouraged by this documentary as I was? Do you know someone who could benefit from seeing it? Now you can pre-order this insightful series on DVD, for shipping on June 2, 2009, from the HBO Shop. As a special offer, you can purchase The Alzheimer’s Project Book ($19.00) along with the 3-disc DVD set for $39.99. Below are the features you will find on the DVD set:

Topics such as The Immunological Approach, The Role of Antioxidants, Insulin and Diet, Cardiovascular Health and AD, Cognitive Reserve, Risk Factors and the Religious Orders Study, and The Epilepsy – Alzheimer’s Connection are explored to show the complexities of Alzheimer’s. Also included are question and answer sessions with Dennis Selkoe, John Morris, Scott Small, Paul Aisen, Reisa Sperling, and Ron Petersen.

Features

* By HBO®
* Format: DVD
* Number of discs: 3
* Audio: English 2.0
* Run time: approx. 533 minutes
* Subtitles: English, Spanish
* 16:9 aspect ratio

This set is the complete, 4-part documentary that aired on HBO on May 10 through 12.

* The Memory Loss Tapes
* Caregivers
* Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am? with Maria Shriver
* Momentum in Science

The Alzheimer’s Project: Caregivers

CAREGIVERS, PART OF THE

MULTI-PLATFORM SERIES THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT,

FOCUSES ON THOSE WHO TAKE CARE OF LOVED ONES

WHEN IT DEBUTS MAY 12 ON HBO

Alzheimer’s, a fatal, irreversible and progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, takes a great toll on the physical and emotional well-being not just of the patient, but of the caregiver as well. It is estimated that there may be as many as five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, with about 70% of those cared for at home by family and friends. Overall, nearly ten million Americans provide 8.5 billion hours of unpaid care annually to people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease progresses differently in every person – survival time can be four to six years after diagnosis, or as long as 20 years. By the time someone with Alzheimer’s enters the early-stage disease, they begin to need help. They need a caregiver.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT: CAREGIVERS, debuting TUESDAY, MAY 12 (7:00-8:00 p.m. ET/PT), is a collection of five family portraits that illustrate caring for different stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Each highlights the sacrifices, struggles and successes made by those experiencing their loved ones’ descent into dementia. These caregivers can vividly remember the extraordinary lives their loved ones led as they watch their spouses and siblings slowly slip away with each passing day.

Other HBO playdates: May 14 (9:30 a.m., 9:00 p.m.), 17 (3:30 p.m.), 20 (midnight) and 30 (10:00 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: May 13 (midnight) and 17 (midnight)

CAREGIVERS is directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Bill Couturié and created by the award-winning team behind HBO’s acclaimed “Addiction” project. A multi-platform four-part documentary series, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT takes a close look at groundbreaking discoveries made by some of the country’s leading scientists, as well as the effects of this debilitating and fatal disease both on those with Alzheimer’s and on their families. Maria Shriver executive produces.

Featured in CAREGIVERS:

Chuck, who cared for his mother until she died, discusses the rare genetic mutation that resulted in 12 of the 14 children in his mother’s family dying from Alzheimer’s. Diagnosed in 2004, Chuck, at age 54, tries to cope with its onset, supported by his wife Marianne. While he appears healthy and lucid, he confesses embarrassment at the prospect of slipping into dementia. Living in the moment, Chuck and Marianne move forward into the next chapter of their lives. Says Marianne, “I still feel we can enjoy a lot of things right now. We both try to stay in the present.” Adds Chuck, “At this moment there is something beautiful going on around me that I can enjoy, so I choose to find the part that’s really beautiful and enjoy it.”

Jude cares for Daphne, her partner of 24 years, who was once a brilliant astrophysicist. After six years, Daphne falls ill and is hospitalized. Though encouraged by Daphne’s indomitable spirit, Jude struggles with denial, as well as the loss of the woman she loves. She eventually confronts her partner’s mortality and finds solace at a local Alzheimer’s Association support group. Daphne comments, “Alzheimer’s is just a part of my life. And I get along with it. I try not to dwell on it.”

When Nacho is diagnosed with the disease, his son Mike takes him into his home, sacrificing his own health and losing his girlfriend. As his father’s condition worsens, Mike is no longer able to care for Nacho alone and must have him admitted to a nursing home. Mike and his siblings meet regularly at the facility to discuss the increased challenges caused by their father’s disruptive sleep patterns. Says Mike, “You try not to worry about, you know, how bad it is or how bad it’s going to get. And just kind of deal with it day-by-day.”

Jackie cared for her husband Marvine at home for as long as she could. Since he was admitted into a nursing home, she visits him every day. Her optimism and faith are a clear source of strength for her husband and family, as well as other residents she has befriended at the facility. “Even in the end stage, you can make them feel good about themselves – it’s a miraculous thing to see,” comments Jackie. The couple celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and Marvine’s 72nd birthday with a family party at the nursing home.

Terry discusses the difficulties of caring for his late wife Pat as she declined from Alzheimer’s. After years of mourning her, Terry feels blessed to have found love again with his new wife, Suzanne. Together, the two dedicate much of their time caring for other patients living with the disease.

The three other documentaries in THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT are: “The Memory Loss Tapes,” providing an up-close and personal look at seven individuals living with Alzheimer’s, each in an advancing state of dementia ranging across the full spectrum of the disease; “ ‘Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?’ with Maria Shriver,” capturing what it means to be a child or grandchild of one who has Alzheimer’s; and the two-part “Momentum in Science,” exploring the latest research advances.

While there is no cure for the disease, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT shows there is now genuine reason to be optimistic about the future. Seeking to bring a new understanding of the disease, it features a four-part documentary series, 15 short supplemental films, a robust website and a nationwide community-based information and outreach campaign. A book by Public Affairs Books was developed by the producers as a companion to the project. HBO will use all of its platforms, including the HBO main service, multiplex channels, HBO On Demand, HBO Podcasts, hbo.com, HBO Channel on YouTube and DVD sales, to support the project. In addition, all films will stream free of charge on hbo.com and will be offered for free on multiple platforms by participating television service providers.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT is presented by HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer’s Association®, Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer’s Initiative. The series producer is John Hoffman; the executive producers are Sheila Nevins and Maria Shriver.

For more information on THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT and Alzheimer’s disease, go to HBO.com/alzheimers.

The Alzheimer’s Project: Momentum In Science

MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE, PART OF THE

PIONEERING MULTI-PLATFORM SERIES THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT,

REVEALS THE LATEST RESEARCH ADVANCES WHEN IT

DEBUTS IN TWO PARTS MAY 11 AND 12 ON HBO

“This is a time when scientific opportunities are enormously exciting and unprecedented in the area of Alzheimer’s disease research.”

– Richard J. Hodes, MD, Director of the National Institute on Aging, NIH

In 1906, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German pathologist, discovered lesions in the brain of a woman who died of dementia at age 56. For 80 years, there was little progress in understanding the disease that now bears his name. More recently, however, there has been an exponential increase in the understanding of what causes Alzheimer’s and how it can be treated and possibly even prevented.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT: MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE is a two-part, state-of-the-science odyssey that takes viewers inside the laboratories and clinics of 25 leading scientists and physicians, revealing some of the most cutting-edge research advances. Part 1 debuts MONDAY, MAY 11 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT), followed by Part 2 on TUESDAY, MAY 12 (8:00-9:00 p.m.).

Other HBO playdates for Part 1: May 12 (4:30 p.m.), 15 (10:00 a.m., 8:00 p.m.), 16 (5:00 p.m.) and 27 (midnight)

HBO2 playdates for Part 1: May 13 (10:00 p.m.) and 18 (noon, midnight)

Other HBO playdates for Part 2: May 15 (11:00 a.m., 9:00 p.m.), 17 (4:30 p.m.) and 28 (midnight)

HBO2 playdates for Part 2: May 13 (11:00 p.m.) and 19 (noon, 11:30 p.m.)

“It is critically important that the public understand where we stand with Alzheimer’s research, both the progress being made and the challenge of the task ahead as the population ages and the risk of Alzheimer’s increases,” notes Dr. Richard Hodes, Director of the National Institute on Aging, NIH. Much of the research highlighted in the film is supported by the public through the National Institute on Aging and other components of the Federal Government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“My great hope is that we will see a steady decline in the severity of Alzheimer’s, that we will push back its onset, and that we will shorten the time people suffer this terrible decline of their most human qualities,” comments Dennis Selkoe, MD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. In fact, says Selkoe, there are already a number of study findings “that suggest we’re on the right track.”

While there is no cure for the disease, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT shows that there is now genuine reason to be optimistic about the future. Created by the award-winning team behind HBO’s acclaimed “Addiction” project, MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE is produced by John Hoffman and Susan Froemke.

Two years in the making, MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE details the current explosion of knowledge within the scientific and medical communities, from imaging the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s, to understanding the roles that genetics and lifestyle might play, to the tremendous progress being made in the effort to develop drugs to treat or even prevent the disease. A complex disease that may have no single cause, Alzheimer’s is thought to develop from the interaction of multiple factors over many years. Scientists are zeroing in on what might cause Alzheimer’s or protect against it, exploring intriguing links to heart disease and diabetes, as well as the possible benefits of exercise, where studies in animals and short-term clinical trials have demonstrated positive effects on brain health.

“We’re light years ahead of where we were in 1994, when former president Reagan came to the Mayo Clinic,” explains Ronald Petersen, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic. “In the last five to ten years, we’ve made enormous strides in understanding the biology of Alzheimer’s disease. We know which abnormalities in the brain are likely causing the symptoms of memory loss, confusion, irritability and aggression, language breakdown and general withdrawal.”

Groundbreaking advances in brain imaging are allowing scientists to peer into the living brain to see brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease at their earliest stages. Researchers can now see the presence of beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles, two hallmarks of the disease, where previously the only way to study the brain changes of Alzheimer’s was at autopsy. These new techniques will allow scientists to observe experimental treatments on the brain.

In 2004, doctors at the University of Pittsburgh invented a remarkable imaging dye that reveals, for the first time, beta-amyloid plaques in the living brain. Through studying volunteers who have a genetic mutation that causes early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, such as the five out of six DeMoe siblings featured in MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE, Part 2, researchers are now able to better understand how Alzheimer’s progresses for people with both early- and late-onset forms of the disease.

Exercise and healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels all may contribute to increasing one’s chances for a long and healthy cognitive life, new research suggests. In MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE, Part 2, Carl Cotman, PhD, UC Irvine, explains his research findings in mice, commenting, “Certainly, in animal models, there is no question that exercise can induce growth factors in the brain. It can help build new neurons into the circuits, it can build synapses, improve learning, and it can basically improve vascular function.”

Revolutionary pharmaceutical approaches to treating and preventing Alzheimer’s are reaching final stages of drug testing. Clinical trials of 91 drugs were underway as of 2008, including several beta-amyloid vaccines that have broken new ground in the field of Alzheimer’s research. Paul Aisen, MD, Director of the NIA-supported Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, states, “There is a sense of excitement in the field of drug development for Alzheimer’s disease that I think is beyond anything else in healthcare now.”

Scientists on the front lines of research featured in Part 1 of MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE include: Dennis Selkoe, MD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who was one of the first to identify beta-amyloid as a culprit in Alzheimer’s; Suzanne Craft, PhD, VA Puget Sound and University of Washington School of Medicine, who is teasing out the connections between diabetes, insulin resistance and Alzheimer’s; Charles DeCarli, MD, UC Davis Medical School, a neuroimaging expert who believes that high blood pressure and atherosclerosis could contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s; and Thomas Beach, MD, PhD, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, who studies the role of cholesterol in the Alzheimer’s disease process and has demonstrated that the brain arteries of people with Alzheimer’s contain much more cholesterol build-up than those of cognitively normal individuals.

Pioneering researchers spotlighted in Part 2 of MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE include: psychiatrist William Klunk, MD, PhD, and physicist Chester Mathis, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who worked together to invent the new imaging technology that allows researchers to see amyloid plaques inside the living brain; Scott Small, MD, Columbia University Medical Center, who is using MRI technology to pinpoint the first signs of cell dysfunction deep within the brain and distinguish the memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s from that caused by normal aging; Carl Cotman, PhD, UC Irvine, an expert on the aging brain who is seeking to understand how exercise and diet might affect the trajectory of cognitive decline; and Dale Schenk, PhD, of Elan Pharmaceuticals, who originated the out-of-the-box idea of treating Alzheimer’s with a vaccine and has brought the exciting approach of immunization to the final stage of clinical drug trials.

Scientists from the National Institute on Aging’s Division of Neuroscience, the Alzheimer’s Association, and additional investigators from a number of research centers also provided technical advice and insights that brought the highest levels of scientific expertise to the films.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT seeks to bring a wider understanding of the disease to the American public through a four-part documentary series, 15 short supplemental films, a robust website and a nationwide community-based information and outreach campaign. A book published by Public Affairs Books was developed by the producers as a companion to the project. HBO will use all of its platforms, including the HBO main service, multiplex channels, HBO On Demand, HBO Podcasts, hbo.com, HBO Channel on YouTube and DVD sales, to support the project. In addition, all films will stream free of charge on hbo.com and will be offered for free on multiple platforms by participating television service providers.

The three other documentaries in THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT are: “The Memory Loss Tapes,” providing an up-close and personal look at seven individuals and their families living with Alzheimer’s, each in an advancing state of dementia across the full spectrum of the progression of the disease; “ ‘Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?’ with Maria Shriver,” capturing what it means to be a child or grandchild of a person who has Alzheimer’s; and “Caregivers,” highlighting the sacrifices and successes of people who experience their loved ones’ descent into dementia.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT is presented by HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer’s Association®, Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer’s Initiative. The series producer is John Hoffman; the executive producers are Sheila Nevins and Maria Shriver.

For more information on THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT and Alzheimer’s disease, go to HBO.com/alzheimers.

The Alzheimer’s Project: Grandpa Do You Know Who I Am?

“GRANDPA, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?” WITH MARIA SHRIVER,

PART OF THE PIONEERING MULTI-PLATFORM SERIES

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT,

TELLS STORIES OF CHILDREN COPING WITH A GRANDPARENT

LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S WHEN IT DEBUTS ON MAY 11 ON HBO

“I’ve been a child of Alzheimer’s since my father, Sargent Shriver, was diagnosed in 2003. My children are children of Alzheimer’s and I’ve learned a lot from them in how to deal with a parent who has Alzheimer’s. There are many lessons that our children can teach us as more and more of us deal with parents who have Alzheimer’s.”

– Maria Shriver

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT: “GRANDPA, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?” WITH MARIA SHRIVER is geared towards children and young teens coping with a grandparent’s illness, presenting vignettes that can help a child understand and deal with a relative’s gradual decline into Alzheimer’s. Inspired by her children’s book “What’s Happening to Grandpa?,” and her own experience with her father, Sargent Shriver, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, Maria Shriver provides commentary and guidance in five lessons that offer advice on how grandchildren can cope with the experiences of having loved ones with the disease.

“GRANDPA, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?” WITH MARIA SHRIVER provides ways for young people to understand a grandparent’s loss of memory and understand that this experience, though painful, is a part of life. Featuring five portraits of children facing their grandparents’ illness, the half-hour documentary debuts MONDAY, MAY 11 (7:30-8:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, and is part of the multi-platform, four-part documentary series THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT, created by the award-winning team behind HBO’s acclaimed “Addiction.”

Other HBO playdates: May 12 (4:00 p.m.), 15 (9:30 a.m., 7:30 p.m.), 17 (3:00 p.m.), 23 (8:15 a.m.) and 27 (6:30 a.m.)

HBO 2 playdates: May 13 (9:30 p.m.) and 20 (noon, 11:00 p.m.)

While there is no cure for the disease, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT shows there is now genuine reason to be optimistic about the future. THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT takes a close look at groundbreaking discoveries made by the country’s leading scientists, as well as the effects of this debilitating and fatal disease both on those with Alzheimer’s and on their families.

The five lessons of “GRANDPA, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?” WITH MARIA SHRIVER include:

Lesson 1: There Are No Silly Questions You Can Ask About Alzheimer’s

The first segment shows siblings Genevieve, 13, Margaret, 10, and Liam, 8, talking with their grandfather, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, asking how the disease is affecting him and discussing the future of their relationship with him. Shriver stresses the importance of bringing the disease out into the open, recalling, “When my father was diagnosed, this was not a disease that people wanted to talk about. The more families sit down and have these open, honest conversations where everybody can air their questions and express their fears – that is empowering and really helpful.”

Lesson 2: When It Comes To Alzheimer’s, Just Go With The Flow As Best You Can

Thousands of children are increasingly involved in difficult caregiver responsibilities at home. Sarah, 15, takes care of her grandmother, who is in a more advanced stage of Alzheimer’s. Though distraught by her grandmother’s mood swings, Sarah finds that playing Elvis for her brings her grandmother back to a happier state.

Lesson 3: It’s Okay To Be Afraid Of Alzheimer’s

Shriver also discusses the difficulties of traveling long distances to visit grandparents. Sisters Megan, 15, and Danielle, 13, find it painful to see their grandmother, who no longer knows who they are. Having to travel hundreds of miles across two states – from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts – the girls are reticent to visit again. They want to keep the memory of their grandmother as she was before the disease fully took hold.

Lesson 4: Sometimes It’s The Disease Talking, Not Your Grandparent

Ashanti, 11, visits her grandmother every day after school, and finds her loving at one moment, and unexpectedly cruel at others. Shriver explains that when people suffering from Alzheimer’s get angry or don’t speak, it isn’t because of the people around them, but rather the result of the disease. But showing up and being there can bring love into that person’s life for a period of time.

Lesson 5: You Can Be The Keeper Of Memories

Alyssa, 15, decides to understand more about her grandmother’s life before Alzheimer’s by making a documentary. She interviews many of her close friends, goes through old pictures with her father, and asks her grandfather why he first fell in love with her grandmother. Shriver encourages children to learn more about the full and vibrant lives that their grandparent lived before he or she was affected by Alzheimer’s, and remembers the life her own father lived before the disease.

Seeking to bring a wider understanding of the disease, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT features a four-part documentary series, 15 short supplemental films, a robust website and a nationwide community-based information and outreach campaign. A book by Public Affairs Books was developed by the producers as a companion to the project. HBO will use all of its platforms, including the HBO main service, multiplex channels, HBO On Demand, HBO Podcasts, hbo.com, HBO Channel on YouTube and DVD sales, to support the project. In addition, all films will stream free of charge on hbo.com and will be offered for free on multiple platforms by participating television service providers.

The three other documentaries in THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT are: “The Memory Loss Tapes,” providing an up-close and personal look at seven individuals living with Alzheimer’s, each in an advancing state of dementia, ranging across the full spectrum of the progression of the disease; the two-part “Momentum in Science,” exploring the latest research advances; and “Caregivers,” highlighting the sacrifices and successes of people who experience their loved ones’ descent into dementia.

“GRANDPA, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?” WITH MARIA SHRIVER is directed by Eamon Harrington and John Watkin.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT is presented by HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer’s Association®, Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer’s Initiative. The series producer is John Hoffman; the executive producers are Sheila Nevins and Maria Shriver.

For more information on THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT and Alzheimer’s Disease, go to HBO.com/alzheimers.

The Alzheimer’s Project: The Memory Loss Tapes

Intimate Profiles of Seven People Living With The Disease

Reveal The Devastating Effect Of Alzheimer’s

As the baby-boom generation reaches retirement, Alzheimer’s is rapidly becoming a leading health issue for all Americans. Survival time after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be four to six years, but may be as long as 20 years. THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT seeks to bring a new understanding of the disease, from the personal experience of living with it, to caregiving and the scientific advances being made to today.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT: THE MEMORY LOSS TAPES, a 90-minute verité documentary, captures the devastating experience of memory loss from the point of view of the person with the disease. Bringing viewers into the quiet world of seven patients, each in an advancing state of dementia and ranging across the full spectrum of Alzheimer’s, the film bears witness to what it’s like to slowly lose one’s mind. The moving stories bring viewers face-to-face with the tragedy of lost identity, chronicling the disease through the course of its irreversible decline.

THE MEMORY LOSS TAPES, the first part of THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT, a four-part multi-platform documentary series, debuts SUNDAY, MAY 10 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT). The film is directed and produced by Emmy® winner Shari Cookson and Nick Doob, and is created by the award-winning team behind HBO’s acclaimed “Addiction” project.

Other HBO playdates: May 12 (5:30 p.m.), 14 (10:30 a.m., 10:00 p.m.), 16 (3:30 p.m.) and 25 (12:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: May 13 (8:00 a.m., 8:00 p.m.) and 21 (10:00 a.m., 11:15 p.m.)

Among the emotionally gripping stories: a woman in a nursing home who thinks her mirrored reflection is her “best friend,” and is haunted by imaginary snakes crawling over her wheelchair; a father who can no longer remember his family, but can still steal the spotlight when performing in public with a local singing group; and the onetime host of a kids’ TV show, whose loving wife brings him to a hospice after his body finally starts shutting down.

Featured in THE MEMORY LOSS TAPES:

Two months after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, 87-year-old Bessie Knapmiller remains physically and socially active. Living alone and continuing to drive, she is highly autonomous and seemingly healthy, although her frustration and loss of memory are evident. With a family history of the disease, Knapmiller is initially resistant to taking medication because her older sister, whose health is also declining, was treated for Alzheimer’s to no avail. She ultimately agrees to take the medicine for fear that she will otherwise burden her kids.

At the insistence of her daughter, who fears her mother’s decision-making skills are no longer up to par, 76-year-old Fannie Davis (diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four months ago) takes a driving test. After forgetfulness of the car’s functions causes her to fail the test, Davis mourns her “loss of independence.”

A once-brilliant computer programmer, 63-year-old family man Joe Potocny’s mood has declined since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years ago. He says that he feels like he’s losing parts of himself every day, and reveals to his therapist that when he feels he’s no longer himself, he will commit suicide to avoid burdening his family. In an effort to articulate his confusion and frustration and connect with fellow Alzheimer’s peers, Potocny creates a “Living with Alzheimer’s” blog.

Diagnosed four years ago, 75-year-old Yolanda Santomartino is a wheelchair-bound nursing home resident. She befriends her mirrored reflection, thinking it to be a new resident named Ruth, and believes snakes inhabit her wheelchair. When Santomartino’s son visits, she believes they’ve just met, even when he talks to her about his childhood. Frustrated by nursing-home life and tormented by delusions she cries, “This is no life.”

Woody Geist, 78, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 14 years ago and lives in a home for the memory-impaired, where nurses and attendants quiz residents on trivia to reinforce memory skills. He is physically active, but forgets about his wife and family, behaving as if he’s married to a woman at the home named Kathy. When his daughter and wife take him out for a performance with his old singing group, which his family believes strengthens his memory connections, his recollection for song lyrics is astounding, given his condition.

Former artist Josephine Mickow, age 77, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s ten years ago. Her daughter left her job in the city and moved back home to the family farm to take care of her. After Mickow was diagnosed, she channeled her emotions by painting over much of her art with plain white paint, and now leaves groupings of odd items around the house. Her daughter calls these “vignettes” and takes comfort in them, feeling they show a glimmer of her old mother. Having never had children herself, Josephine’s daughter admits that she imagines caring for her mother is much like what motherhood would be.

Cliff Holman, age 77, lives at home with his wife Ann and a hospice nurse, both of whom he rarely recognizes. Diagnosed seven years ago, his health and memory are now rapidly declining. He once starred as a magician on the TV show “Cousin Cliff’s Clubhouse,” and today is consumed with the need to get to the studio for the show. With his Alzheimer’s in a terminal stage, his wife Ann has chosen not to use extraordinary means to keep him alive. Holman is later admitted into a hospice facility.

THE MEMORY LOSS TAPES pays homage to those living with Alzheimer’s disease, from its earliest signs to the final stages of the disease.

While there is no cure for the disease, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT shows there is now genuine reason to be optimistic about the future. THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT takes a close look at groundbreaking discoveries made by the country’s leading scientists, as well as the effects of this debilitating and fatal disease both on those with Alzheimer’s and on their families.

Seeking to bring a wider understanding, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT features a four-part documentary series, 15 short supplemental films, a robust website and a nationwide community-based information and outreach campaign. A book published by Public Affairs Books was developed by the producers as a companion to the project. HBO will use all of its platforms, including the HBO main service, multiplex channels, HBO On Demand, HBO Podcasts, hbo.com, HBO Channel on YouTube and DVD sales, to support the project. In addition, all films will stream free of charge on hbo.com and will be offered for free on multiple platforms by participating television service providers.

In addition to THE MEMORY LOSS TAPES, the three other documentaries in THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT are “ ‘Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?’ with Maria Shriver,” capturing what it means to be a child or grandchild of one who suffers; the two-part “Momentum in Science,” exploring the latest research advances; and “Caregivers,” focusing on five people caring for loved ones with the disease.

The ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT is presented by HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer’s Association®, Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer’s Initiative. The series producer is John Hoffman; the executive producers are Sheila Nevins and Maria Shriver.

For more information on THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT and Alzheimer’s disease, go to HBO.com/alzheimers.

HBO’S THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT

Alzheimer’s disease is something that has hit close to home for me, and when I heard about this project, I knew I wanted to do everything I could to help spread the word about it, and to get people watching.

More than 54% of the U.S population has been touched by someone who has Alzheimer’s, one of the most devastating forms of memory loss. As many as five million Americans may have Alzheimer’s and as the baby-boom generation reaches retirement, that number could soar to more than 11 million.

HBO’s THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT is a multi-platform event which takes a close look at groundbreaking discoveries made by the country’s leading scientists, as well as the effects of this debilitating and fatal disease on those with Alzheimer’s and their families. Aiming to bring a new understanding and hope, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT features a four-part documentary series, 15 short supplemental films, a companion book, a robust website and a nationwide outreach campaign. In addition, all films will stream on hbo.com and will be offered for free on multiple platforms by participating television service providers. The series debuts May 10 on HBO.

Get involved!