Finding The Joy In Alzheimer S When Tears Are Dried With Laughter

Caregivers find JOY caring for their loved ones.Amidst the clouds and thunderstorms of Alzheimer's, caregivers and their loved ones grasp for a few rays of sunshine.A collection of stories and poems written by caregivers--warm rays to bring you joy and to dry your tears with laughter.

Updated 2006 Caregivers find JOY caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's despite losing them day-by-day. "...comforting, spiritually healing book filled with touches of wry humor..." Midwest Book Review "We laugh so we won't cry," explain caregivers. "...a breath of fresh air...The lovingly told humorous stories and anecdotes prove once again that laughter is good medicine..." B.J. FitzRay, Author, Alzheimer's Activities Watch for Finding the JOY in CAREGIVING--the third in this series of Finding the JOY titles.

Caring for a person with dementia is a difficult and often- overwhelming task. In addition to the inevitable decline in memory and physical function, most persons with dementia develop one or more troublesome behavior problems, such as depression, fearfulness, sleep disturbances, paranoia, or physical aggression at some point in their disease. Behavioral challenges in dementia are highly idiosyncratic. No two patients are alike, and interventions that work well with one person are often ineffective with another. Caregivers often become stuck: either unable to figure out how best to help their loved one, or unable to consistently implement positive practices they know would improve their situation. This book offers caregivers a set of practical and flexible tools to enable them become more resilient in the face of difficulty and change. McCurry teaches caregivers how to take advantage of their own creativity and inner resources to develop strategies that will work in their unique situations. She presents her set of five core principles and then brings them to life through vignettes. Anyone who lives, works, or comes in contact with a person who has dementia will benefit from this volume.

Today, there is a disease afflicting many people and arousing fear in those whose ages can start as young as forty years, and moving on through the sixties, seventy and eighty year old groups. It is known as Alzheimer's Disease. This book is about sharing this experience with my sister-in-law who came down with this disease in her later years. She was eighty-four at the time and lived to be ninety four years old. I was encouraged to take notes and write about this by a doctor who told me I would be in a position to see its development every day for as long as she remained with me. He said, "Take lots of notes. You will be able to observe so much more than I, because I don't spend that much time with a patient, and you will be with her day and night and observe the changes as they happen and what triggers her behavior. Good Luck!" With that I started out on my ten year trip through the ups and downs, the good days and bad days of Alzheimer's disease. Our days were laced with pain and humor, but I was determined to see it through, laughing a little and crying a lot, hoping the scenery would change, but finally surrendering to this fate that had come upon us. Our mantra became "Let's laugh because if we don't we shall most certainly cry"! I chose to care for her because I wanted her to be surrounded by love, music and laughter, in a place where we could laugh with her and cry with her and never be alone. I'm glad I did.

Contains a history of Alzheimer's disease, an overview of the disease and current therapies, and personal narratives by those living with the disease.

Includes, beginning Sept. 15, 1954 (and on the 15th of each month, Sept.-May) a special section: School library journal, ISSN 0000-0035, (called Junior libraries, 1954-May 1961). Also issued separately.

Explains the history of the rodeo, important rodeo figures, and different kinds of rodeos.