An estimated 5.2 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common type of dementia however the number of newly diagnosed individuals is expected to double by the year 2050 [ 1 ]. Early stage AD (mild cognitive decline) refers to people in the beginning stages of the disease who experience the following symptoms: noticeable problems coming up with the right word or name, trouble remembering names when introduced to new people, noticeably greater diffi culty performing tasks in social or work settings, forgetting material that one has just read, losing or misplacing a valuable object, and increasing trouble with planning or organizing [ 2 ].Another term, early-onset AD (often confused with early stage AD), is not defi ned by the stage of the disease, but by how it affects people younger than age 65. The prevalence of early stage AD is unclear. Increasing awareness of the disease and its earliest signs, as well as emerging advancements in technology, through brain imaging and biomarker measures, have led to earlier diagnosis of AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that often precedes AD. As individuals are increasingly diagnosed at earlier stages of dementia, they are able to communicate their needs, concerns, and preferences. Coping in Early Stage DementiaA diagnosis of early stage dementia typically results in feelings of loss, social stigma and uncertainty, placing major demands on the coping strategies for the individual [ 3 -7 ]. Both the person with early stage dementia and the care partner acknowledge loss similar to the process of adjustment in grief [ 8 ]. Individuals with early stage dementia attempt to manage the illness and its emotional impact through a series of processes that progress through stages of awareness, coping, and evaluation. Through varying levels of awareness, they acknowledge and actively seek to understand and adjust to current and future loss of memory, independence, previous roles and lifestyle, as well as feelings of depression and frustration [ 9 , 10 ].The person with early stage dementia can describe a range of specifi c ways in which they cope with the diagnosis and demands of everyday life, if given the opportunity to express them self [ 8 ]. The expression of awareness of impairment and functioning made by the person with dementia and the care partner are infl uenced by