Courage to Care: A Caregiver’s Guide Through Each Stage of Alzheimer’s

An easy-to-read book, written by a non-medical professional writer whose father had Alzheimer’s Disease.

This book would be appreciated by everyone who has ever had to take care of someone with dementia. It is not only a “how-to”, but is also a “what-if” and “why” manual. The book is laid out in a logical sequence of expectations and possible episodic events. It takes the dread and fear out of unpleasant situations and quietly explains reasonable solutions.

Throughout the book, there are highlighted boxes containing quotations from Caregiver’s journals. Not only do they provide valuable insights into the world of care giving, they also offer wonderful hints on how to deal with different care giving situations. On most pages there are side bars containing more invaluable information dealing with specific points which have been generalized in the particular chapter.

Each section is well organized in a clear, concise manner. All aspects and stages of Alzheimer’s Disease are defined. Readers will appreciate the format and will be able to anticipate untoward behaviors and how to deal with them.

Courage to Care opens with an overview of Alzheimer’s Disease and discusses possible causes, types of dementia, and a look into the research being done today which will hopefully lead to prevention and a cure.

The next section talks about the Ten Warning Signs which may indicate the possibility of AD. The writer then goes on to discuss why it is so difficult to diagnose AD; the causes of dementia and other types of dementia. The author presents added information on the importance of identifying appropriate resources to conduct testing to aid in an accurate diagnosis of dementia and the type.

There are chapters dealing with everything from accepting the diagnosis, to planning for the future, legal advice, and how to identify appropriate long term care facilities.

I found all of the information on the hands-on caring, be it for a spouse, a parent, or other loved ones to be sensitive, caring, practical and accurate. The book concludes with listing of other appropriate professional resources which can be contacted for further information.

I highly recommend "Courage to Care" as a valuable addition to the libraries of professionals, anyone who is interested, and those in the difficult role of caregivers. Joanne Parrent’s previous writing expertise comes forth in this comprehensive, well organized, factual easy to read, inexpensive, how-to-book.

Reviewed by Elizabeth Hirshom, RN, M.Ed.; Private Geriatric Care Manager & Alzheimer’s specialist.

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Editorial Reviews
  

From the Back Cover

Courage to Care helps ease the burden of those who have accepted this labor of love by providing them with knowledge and coping strategies to make it through each stage of this progressive and complicated disease. The book focuses not only on how to deal with the emotional issues associated with the disease, but offers advice on how to make life easier and more enjoyable for both the loved one and the caregiver. Each chapter includes a real-life caregiver's story related to the content of the chapter, to remind readers that they are not alone.
  

About the Author

A successful author and screenwriter, Joanne Parrent majored in American Culture at the University of Michigan and received her degree in Communications from UCLA. She began her career in the film industry, writing, producing, and directing documentary films. Among her credits in the documentary field is The Healing Force, a feature-length documentary released in theaters, about Norman Cousins' remarkable recovery from a life-threatening illness. Parrent has written dramatic screenplays for Walt Disney Productions and Bette Midler's All Girl Productions, mini-series for PBS, and series television, including the CBS hit Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

Parrent is the author of four nonfiction books and has edited several other published books. Among her books are Life After Johnnie Cochran (HarperCollins, 1995), Once More with Feeling (Dove Books, 1997), and You'll Never Make Love in This Town Again (Dove Books, 1996). The latter was on The New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists for over four months. In the late 1970s, Parrent was an editor of Chrysalis, a women's art and literary magazine. At that time she also served on the board of The Woman's Building, a space for women artists and writers.

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Courage to Care:
A Caregiver’s Guide Through Each Stage of Alzheimer’s
By Joanne Parrent

List Price $14.95
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