Loving Someone Who Has Dementia

Research-based advice for people who care for someone with dementia Nearly half of U.S. citizens over the age of 85 are suffering from some kind of dementia and require care. Loving Someone Who Has Dementia is a new kind of caregiving book. It's not about the usual techniques, but about how to manage on-going stress and grief. The book is for caregivers, family members, friends, neighbors as well as educators and professionals—anyone touched by the epidemic of dementia. Dr. Boss helps caregivers find hope in "ambiguous loss"—having a loved one both here and not here, physically present but psychologically absent. Outlines seven guidelines to stay resilient while caring for someone who has dementia Discusses the meaning of relationships with individuals who are cognitively impaired and no longer as they used to be Offers approaches to understand and cope with the emotional strain of care-giving Boss's book builds on research and clinical experience, yet the material is presented as a conversation. She shows you a way to embrace rather than resist the ambiguity in your relationship with someone who has dementia.

Wayman offers compassionate advice on overcoming practical and emotional obstacles to maintaining meaningful relationship with loved ones who have dementia and memory loss. She offers caregiving insights and information about the dangers of denying the onset of cognitive problems.

The result is a guide that integrates the practicalities of caregiving with the human emotions that accompany it.

t takes courage to face serious illness, whether it is you who are sick or someone you love. This is the story of two courageous people, Julie and Ken Sobol. Julie and Ken were writing partners as well as life partners, so it was natural that when Ken became caught up in the frightening and fatal fog of Lewy Body Disease, they decided to write about their experience with the disease together. This is the story not just of a devastating illness, but of an amazing relationship. As KenÕs disease progresses and his symptoms worsen, his voice on the page dwindles. Julie continues the narration, sharing her sadness, frustration, and attempts to find the best care for her husband. Their chronicling of the ravages wrought by LBD is intelligent, insightful, enlightening, and often funny. It isÑat heartÑa love story.

From the award-winning journalist and author, a lyrical, raw and humane investigation of dementia that explores both the journeys of the people who live with the condition and those of their loved ones After a diagnosis of dementia, Nicci Gerrard’s father, John, continued to live life on his own terms, alongside the disease. But when an isolating hospital stay precipitated a dramatic turn for the worse, Gerrard, an award-winning journalist and author, recognized that it was not just the disease, but misguided protocol and harmful practices that cause such pain at the end of life. Gerrard was inspired to seek a better course for all who suffer because of the disease. The Last Ocean is Gerrard’s investigation into what dementia does to both the person who lives with the condition and to their caregivers. Dementia is now one of the leading causes of death in the West, and this necessary book will offer both comfort and a map to those walking through it. While she begins with her father’s long slip into forgetting, Gerrard expands to examine dementia writ large. Gerrard gives raw but literary shape both to the unimaginable loss of one’s own faculties, as well as to the pain of their loved ones. Her lens is unflinching, but Gerrard honors her subjects and finds the beauty and the humanity in their seemingly diminished states. In so doing, she examines the philosophy of what it means to have a self, as well as how we can offer dignity and peace to those who suffer with this terrible disease. Not only will it aid those walking with dementia patients, The Last Ocean will prompt all of us to think on the nature of a life well lived.

Across America and around the world, the five love languages have revitalized relationships and saved marriages from the brink of disaster. Can they also help individuals, couples, and families cope with the devastating diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD)? Coauthors Chapman, Shaw, and Barr give a resounding yes. Their innovative application of the five love languages creates an entirely new way to touch the lives of the five million Americans who have Alzheimer’s, as well as their fifteen million caregivers. At its heart, this book is about how love gently lifts a corner of dementia’s dark curtain to cultivate an emotional connection amid memory loss. This collaborative, groundbreaking work between a healthcare professional, caregiver, and relationship expert will: Provide an overview of the love languages and Alzheimer’s disease, correlate the love languages with the developments of the stages of AD, discuss how both the caregiver and care receiver can apply the love languages, address the challenges and stresses of the caregiver journey, offer personal stories and case studies about maintaining emotional intimacy amidst AD. Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade is heartfelt and easy to apply, providing gentle, focused help for those feeling overwhelmed by the relational toll of Alzheimer’s. Its principles have already helped hundreds of families, and it can help yours, too.

How did it begin for you? In our family, we went through theories to explain it all away. This game went on for at least a year or two before one day, it clicked. Mom had Alzheimer's. This book is meant to be a guide to help you and those you love navigate the overwhelming diagnosis of dementia, especially Alzheimer's Dementia, and the months and years that follow. It includes what we wish we had known, what we learned, and the resources that helped us along the way. "This book is an excellent and practical guide to help you navigate this tough challenge from the beginning to the end." --Suzy Nootz, MSN, RN, CDP, Country House Residence for Memory Care "An empathic and helpful guide in understanding and negotiating the process of recognizing, diagnosing, treating, and coping with a loved one with Alzheimer's Dementia." --Dr. Robert G. Arias, PhD, Arias Neuropsychology & Behavioral Medicine, PC

Drawing insight from her own journey with her mom's battle with dementia, Heidi will lovingly and compassionately walk you through many of the feelings and decisions one faces throughout this process. Reflections of Hope includes real-life stories, questions to reflect upon, devotional thoughts, and prayers for direction, comfort and peace.