Alzheimers: The Uncertain Journey

Navigating The Challenges. The Indispensable Guide for Caregivers and Families

Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
442 Pages
Reviewed on 09/07/2024
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Randy B. Lichtman for Readers' Favorite

As a reader with health administration experience, I have read several books on Alzheimer’s disease; however, Alzheimer’s: The Uncertain Journey by Dr. Renee Despres and Guy Slowik is one of the most thorough and practical ones I have ever read on this subject. This extraordinary book is easily readable by those with no background experience in healthcare and is extremely interesting reading for those with experience in this area. It is a roadmap through a disease that is uncertain. The resources and ideas presented can assist caregivers, families, and healthcare professionals. The perspective is a very empathetic one, providing real-life situations, including case studies, with practical tips on how to help those in their care. The authors focus on all aspects of caregiving including emotional and family issues; effective communication; Alzheimer’s and other dementias: stages, causes (as known), behaviors, and medications; safety and injury prevention; tools and gadgets for improved independence; approaching the driving issue; and the transformative power of music, art, and pets.

In addition, the issues of appropriate placement in a variety of settings are discussed including level of care; selection of a facility; admitting an Alzheimer’s patient to a hospital with challenges; financial considerations (including Power of Attorney, Living Wills, Guardianship, etc.); and even explaining to children and teens how to accept and assist the family member. The resources are excellent and often suggest searches are offered for the reader to research through Google and other resources ways to assist their loved one. Alzheimer’s: The Uncertain Journey is an amazing guide for those needing assistance in dealing with a loved one or someone who is challenged on how best to help their loved one. The authors bring a variety of expert backgrounds to the book. The knowledge, practical techniques, and wisdom apply to those who are caring for patients with Dementia, not limited to Alzheimer’s disease. I give this book my highest recommendation for providing an amazingly thorough guide for caregivers, families, and healthcare professionals!

Courtnee Turner Hoyle

The Stranger You Love: A Comprehensive Guide to Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's Disease or Other Dementias by Renée Despres, Guy Slowik, Candice Greenwood, and Bernard Isaacs is a comprehensive guide that walks readers through the definition of the various types of dementia, diagnosis, and care of a loved one with the disease. With examples and visuals for clarification, the book outlines the stages of dementia, allowing for differences in personalities, behaviors, and frustrations. The authors suggest a framework for determining a care routine and the selection of a physician and recommend tools that may help your loved ones care for themselves, games for fun, and safety devices.

Renée Despres, Guy Slowik, Candice Greenwood, and Bernard Isaacs have written a highly useful book that will help individuals recently diagnosed with dementia and caregivers understand the disease and approach it with more understanding and compassion. The contents help readers make informed decisions and advise them about what they can expect as they care for a person with dementia and how to handle the designation of responsibilities before a person’s decline. The book should be digested in its entirety so as not to miss anything of importance, and the material is truly a support for caregivers as it replaces assumptions with a renewed point of view, humanizes the loved one as they progress into the latter stages of dementia, and inspires empathy and compassionate care. Giving a full view of Alzheimer's Disease and dementia, the book could comfort caregivers who see the behaviors they witness reflected in the contents. The Stranger You Love is a great selection for those recently diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers.