The Alzheimer’s Association online community is a place where people can come together to share questions, ideas, triumphs and struggles that revolve around Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. We encourage you to be a part of this growing community of strength and support. Please keep in mind the following guidelines:

PERSONAL INFORMATION:
For your safety and security, The Alzheimer’s Association discourages the posting of personal information such as emails, addresses or phone numbers. it is important for you to remain aware that when you provide personal information in a posting on any message board, that information is available to any person who uses the message boards, and may be used by someone in a manner unintended by you. For that reason, we discourage you from offering any personally identifying information within a posting to any message board.

MONITORING:
The Alzheimer’s Association is not responsible for the content of the online community, including but not limited to, accuracy, integrity or quality of content. The “Ask a Care Consultant” forum is monitored by Alzheimer’s Association staff members on a daily basis. The other forums are not monitored as closely. If you have questions or concerns about information posted, please feel free to contact us.

ACCURACY OF INFORMATION:
The Alzheimer's Association is not responsible for the information posted in the message boards including, but not limited to, content, appropriate citations or use of copyrighted material. If you use material created by another author, please cite the author. If you want to reference material from another website or online source, we encourage you to include the link rather than copying the material. Content from the online community is not to be copied and pasted into anyone’s personal blog, chat room or any other online communication.

DEROGATORY MESSAGES:
Derogatory messages will not be tolerated. Derogatory messages include, but are not limited to, the following:
 Name calling
 Swear words
 Discrimination
 Personal insinuations/attacks about other online community members
 Complaints about other online community members
 Sexually inappropriate comments
 Disrespecting the wishes of others

If members are engaging in any of these behaviors, their posts will be deleted. If the behavior continues, the individual may be banned from the community. Decisions around the deletion of posts and removal from the community are at the discretion of the site administrators. If you notice any misuse of the message boards or chat room, please email us at onlinecommunity@alz.org.

We have included a feature on the message boards called the "Ignore Feature." Members should use this feature to avoid seeing the posts of any user(s) they choose to ignore. For ignored users, replies in topics are hidden by default. In addition, you will not receive notifications of new content by ignored users and ignored users will not be able to start a Private Message with you.

HOW TO USE THE IGNORE FEATURE:
1. Write down the display name of the user(s) you wish to ignore.
2. Select “MY PROFILE” from the top navigation panel.
3. Select “Ignore List” from the left menu options. This will open up your Ignore List window.
4. To add someone to the list, click the “Add Users” link (near the top of the window). A pop up window will appear.
5. Type in the Display Name you wish to ignore and click on search. You will then get a list of
names that closely resemble what you have typed in.
6. Put a check in the box next to the name you wish to ignore and click on “add selected
members”.

Another way to ignore a Display Name can be done right from a discussion. You start by clicking on the name you wish to ignore. A drop down menu will appear. Click on the option second from the top that reads, “add ‘name’ to my Ignore List”. You will still be able to see their post if that user starts a new conversation.

PROS AND CONS OF A LARGE ELECTRONIC COMMUNITY:
Our message board community has over 2,000 registered members, and is growing every day. Its size is one of its strengths. As you post and read messages, though, please be aware that electronic messages, often written quickly, are easily misconstrued. On a healthy message board, exchanges may heat up between community members who share different viewpoints. Communication in the online world exists without the normal signposts of facial expressions, body language and voice tone thereby emphasizing the meaning of the actual words. Given the challenges of online communication, it might be helpful to assume a positive intent.

POLITE ONLINE BEHAVIOR:
A message board exchange may feel like an actual “conversation,” but the rules of polite online behavior are different. In a message board exchange it is perfectly acceptable not to respond to everyone who responds to your message. This is particularly true if someone is taking the topic in a direction you didn’t intend. Please try to keep in mind the main purpose of this online community is to provide support and education to those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.


The Alzheimer's Association, at our sole discretion, reserves the right to pre-screen, refuse or remove any content available via the online community.


Alzheimer's Association

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kelli M,