Download or read book Alzheimer s Disease Memoirs written by Pramod K Nayar and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-12-06 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines writings by people living with Alzheimer's Disease and their caregivers. Its focus areas include the construction of the self in the face of diminishing linguistic and cognitive abilities, the stigmatization of ageing, the various narrative strategies that these texts (often collaborative) employ, the health activism and advocacy generated via a 'biosociality,' and the ethics of care. It examines the 'disease writing' genre about a condition that ravages the ability to use language. It serves as a "literary" examination of the work done in this area through a critical reading of the memoirs of those with AD and caregivers and a healthy dose of literary theory. The book is a valuable resource for those interested in literary and critical theory and researchers in the field of ageing/dementia studies.
Download or read book Inside the Dementia Epidemic written by Martha Stettinius and published by Dundee-Lakemont Press. This book was released on 2012-07 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One in 8 people over age 65 has Alzheimer's disease, and nearly fifty percent of those over age 85. With the passion of a committed daughter and the fervor of a tireless reporter, Martha Stettinius weaves a compelling story of her long journey caregiving for her demented mother with a broad exploration of the causes of dementia, means of treating it, and hopes for preventing it. Her greatest gift to readers is that of optimism that caregiving can deepen love, that dementia can be fought, and that families can be strengthened. Her book is appealing, enlightening, and inspiring. Includes appendices on dementia research; source notes; resources for caregivers; and an index.
Download or read book Come Back Early Today written by Marie Marley and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "'In the world of Alzheimer's memoirs, a rarity-- not, strictly speaking, a 'happy ending,' but a different tale from the usual bleak, grinding, downward spiral into unalloyed misery'"--Cover p. 4.
Download or read book In Love written by Amy Bloom and published by Random House. This book was released on 2022-03-08 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A powerful memoir of a love that leads two people to find a courageous way to part—and a woman’s struggle to go forward in the face of loss—that “enriches the reader’s life with urgency and gratitude” (The Washington Post) “A pleasure to read . . . Rarely has a memoir about death been so full of life. . . . Bloom has a talent for mixing the prosaic and profound, the slapstick and the serious.”—USA Today ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: NPR Amy Bloom began to notice changes in her husband, Brian: He retired early from a new job he loved; he withdrew from close friendships; he talked mostly about the past. Suddenly, it seemed there was a glass wall between them, and their long walks and talks stopped. Their world was altered forever when an MRI confirmed what they could no longer ignore: Brian had Alzheimer’s disease. Forced to confront the truth of the diagnosis and its impact on the future he had envisioned, Brian was determined to die on his feet, not live on his knees. Supporting each other in their last journey together, Brian and Amy made the unimaginably difficult and painful decision to go to Dignitas, an organization based in Switzerland that empowers a person to end their own life with dignity and peace. In this heartbreaking and surprising memoir, Bloom sheds light on a part of life we so often shy away from discussing—its ending. Written in Bloom’s captivating, insightful voice and with her trademark wit and candor, In Love is an unforgettable portrait of a beautiful marriage, and a boundary-defying love.
Download or read book Losing My Mind written by Thomas DeBaggio and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2002-04-05 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Tom DeBaggio turned fifty-seven in 1999, he thought he was about to embark on the relaxing golden years of retirement -- time to spend with his family, his friends, the herb garden he had spent decades cultivating and from which he made a living. Then, one winter day, he mentioned to his doctor during a routine exam that he had been stumbling into forgetfulness, making his work difficult. After that fateful visit, and a subsequent battery of tests over several months, DeBaggio joined the legion of twelve million others afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. But under such a curse, DeBaggio was also given one of the greatest gifts: the ability to chart the ups and downs of his own failing mind. Losing My Mind is an extraordinary first-person account of early onset Alzheimer's -- the form of the disease that ravages younger, more alert minds. DeBaggio started writing on the first day of his diagnosis and has continued despite his slipping grasp on one of life's greatest treasures, memory. In an inspiring and detailed account, DeBaggio paints a vivid picture of the splendor of memory and the pain that comes from its loss. Whether describing the happy days of a youth spent in a much more innocent time or evaluating how his disease has affected those around him, DeBaggio poignantly depicts one of the most important parts of our lives -- remembrance -- and how we often take it for granted. But to DeBaggio, memory is more than just an account of a time long past, it is one's ability to function, to think, and ultimately, to survive. As his life becomes reduced to moments of clarity, the true power of thought and his ability to connect to the world shine through, and in DeBaggio's case, it is as much in the lack of functioning as it is in the ability to function that one finds love, hope and the relaxing golden years of peace. At once an autobiography, a medical history and a testament to the beauty of memory, Losing My Mind is more than just a story of Alzheimer's, it is the captivating tale of one man's battle to stay connected with the world and his own life.
Download or read book The Language of Time written by Ashley Bendiksen and published by . This book was released on 2020-06-12 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "My mother developed Alzheimer's at just 48. It didn't make any sense. Worse, there was no cure and no timeline. I became a caregiver overnight, endlessly aware of a heartbreaking new reality - tomorrow was no longer guaranteed. I needed to somehow slow down time, to find answers, to create a miracle (while still managing my own life as a woman in my 20s). At the very least, I had to do my best to capture it all before time ran out - archiving memories and learning all I could about courage, how to live, and how to love." Combining journal entries with transcribed conversations and emotive storytelling, The Language of Time is a real and honest expression of one daughter's sudden and unplanned journey as caregiver. It's a story of hope, strength, courage, and the unbreakable bond between a daughter and her mom. It's a story of womanhood, without the guidance of a mother. And it's a poignant reminder of the ever-passing moments of time with those we love. The Language of Time is a breakthrough memoir that will be appreciated by those who have been touched by caregiving, Alzheimer's/dementia, terminal illness, hospice, or loss of a parent. It shines a light on the unique circumstances of early onset Alzheimer's, and fulfilling the role of caregiver as a young adult. It's also filled with stories of facing life's challenges, love, family, gratitude, personal growth, and self-discovery.
Download or read book All Gone written by Alex Witchel and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2012-09-27 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A daughter’s longing love letter to a mother who has slipped beyond reach. Just past seventy, Alex Witchel’s smart, adoring, ultracapable mother began to exhibit undeniable signs of dementia. Her smart, adoring, ultracapable daughter reacted as she’d been raised: If something was broken, they would fix it. But as medical reality undid that hope, and her mother continued the torturous process of disappearing in plain sight, Witchel retreated to the kitchen, trying to reclaim her mother at the stove by cooking the comforting foods of her childhood: “Is there any contract tighter than a family recipe?” Reproducing the perfect meat loaf was no panacea, but it helped Witchel come to terms with her predicament, the growing phenomenon of “ambiguous loss ”— loss of a beloved one who lives on. Gradually she developed a deeper appreciation for all the ways the parent she was losing lived on in her, starting with the daily commandment “Tell me everything that happened today” that started a future reporter and writer on her way. And she was inspired to turn her experience into this frank, bittersweet, and surprisingly funny account that offers true balm for an increasingly familiar form of heartbreak.
Download or read book Tangles written by Sarah Leavitt and published by Skyhorse. This book was released on 2012-05-01 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this powerful memoir the the LA Times calls “moving, rigorous, and heartbreaking," Sarah Leavitt reveals how Alzheimer’s disease transformed her mother, Midge, and her family forever. In spare blackand- white drawings and clear, candid prose, Sarah shares her family’s journey through a harrowing range of emotions—shock, denial, hope, anger, frustration—all the while learning to cope, and managing to find moments of happiness. Midge, a Harvard educated intellectual, struggles to comprehend the simplest words; Sarah’s father, Rob, slowly adapts to his new role as full-time caretaker, but still finds time for wordplay and poetry with his wife; Sarah and her sister Hannah argue, laugh, and grieve together as they join forces to help Midge. Tangles confronts the complexity of Alzheimer’s disease, and ultimately releases a knot of memories and dreams to reveal a bond between a mother and a daughter that will never come apart.
Download or read book Before I Forget written by Barbara Smith and published by Harmony. This book was released on 2016 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Working with Vanity Fair contributing editor Michael Shnayerson, B. and her husband Dan share B.'s unfolding story on dealing with early-onset Alzheimer's. Crafted in short chapters that interweave their narrative with ... advice, readers learn in small bites about dealing with Alzheimer's disease's day-to-day challenges, the family tensions, and ways of coping, as well as gain tips on diet and exercise from a lifestyle maven using her decades of expertise in a new and unexpected way"--
Download or read book Life in the Balance written by Thomas B. Graboys and published by Union Square Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chronicles the author's descent from a top cardiologist to a patient slowly succumbing to Parkinson's disease and dementia, including how he struggles with the feelings he experiences daily and the impact of the diseases in his life.
Download or read book Memoirs of a Caregiver written by Cynthia Young and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2013-01-31 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alzheimers is a memory-robbing, debilitating disease that affects millions of Americans. For most families, having just one member afflicted with Alzheimers disease can be devastating. In her poignant memoir, Cynthia Young shares her story of love and devotion as she learns how to care for four family members stricken with Alzheimers disease over a ten-year period. Young narrates a journey filled with laughter, challenges, and sorrow as she commutes from California to Michigan to care for her mother, two aunts, and a cousin. She provides insight into how the disease progresses and gradually destroys the memory and abilities to learn, reason, make sound judgments, communicate, and carry out daily activities. While sharing her personal story and detailing how she overcame each obstacle along the way, Young also teaches other caregivers how to use valuable resources, navigate the court system as a guardian and conservator, handle the Alzheimers personality, and search for an assisted-living facility. Memoirs of a Caregiver shares one womans inspiring story of unconditional love and courage with the hope that it will encourage and empower other caregivers to be diligent, strong, and, most importantly, to never give up. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be directed to the Alzheimers Association.
Download or read book Death in Slow Motion written by Eleanor Cooney and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2013-02-26 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A raw, unsentimental and passionately written memoir about trying to care for a parent with Alzheimer’s When her once-glamorous and witty novelist-mother got Alzheimer's, Eleanor Cooney moved her from her beloved Connecticut home to California in order to care for her. In tense, searing prose, punctuated with the blackest of humor, Cooney documents the slow erosion of her mother's mind, the powerful bond the two shared, and her own descent into drink and despair. But the coping mechanism that finally serves this eloquent writer best is writing, the ability to bring to vivid life the memories her mother is losing. As her mother gropes in the gathering darkness for a grip on the world she once loved, succeeding only in conjuring sad fantasies of places and times with her late husband, Cooney revisits their true past. Death in Slow Motion becomes the mesmerizing story of Eleanor's actual childhood, straight out of the pages of John Cheever; the daring and vibrant mother she remembers; and a time that no longer exists for either of them.
Download or read book The Gene Guillotine written by Kate Preskenis and published by . This book was released on 2012-07-01 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Early-onset Alzheimer's disease caused by a rare genetic mutation struck 5 of Kate's family members, beginning with her grandmother at age 39 .... Through the crystal ball of genetics, Kate can find out her future, but does she want to know?" -- P. [4] of cover.
Download or read book Bleeding Hearts written by Tami a Reeves and published by Tami a Reeves. This book was released on 2015-03-06 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A kind of death...Alzheimer's not only steals the patient's life but also devastates the family-no one more so than the spouse, who is now married to someone no longer "here." Bleeding Hearts is the candid narrative of a husband torn between love for his wife and the need to move on with his own life. Told by "the other woman," whom he meets at a time when he most needs her, the story of Eric, his wife, family, and new love, Tami, breaks the silence on a sensitive subject-offering comfort and insight to those struggling with the conflicting emotions that arise when Alzheimer's strikes the one you love.
Download or read book Inside the Dementia Epidemic written by Martha Stettinius and published by Dundee-Lakemont Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The unflinching and hopeful story of one woman's journey into family caregiving, and a vivid overview of the challenges of Alzheimer's care. With the passion of a committed daughter and the fervor of a tireless reporter, Martha Stettinius weaves this compelling story of caregiving for her demented mother with a broad exploration of the causes of Alzheimer's disease, means of treating it, and hopes for preventing it. She shares the lessons she's learned over seven years of caregiving at home, in assisted living, a rehabilitation center, a "memory care" facility for people living with dementia, and a nursing home--lessons not just about how to navigate the system, but how caregiving helped the author to grow closer to her mother, and to learn to nurture her mother's spirit through the most advanced stages of dementia.
Download or read book The Seasons of My Mother written by Marcia Gay Harden and published by Atria Books. This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A fiercely loving and tender tribute” (Lisa Genova, New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice and Every Note Played), this lyrical memoir by one of America’s most revered actresses weaves stories of her adventures and travels with her mother, while reflecting on the beautiful spirit that persists even in the face of her mother’s terminal disease. Marcia Gay Harden knew at a young age that her life would be anything but ordinary. One of five lively children born to two Texas natives—Beverly, a proper Dallas lady, and Thad, a young naval officer—she always had a knack for storytelling, role-playing, and adventure. As a military family, the Hardens moved often, and their travels eventually took them to Yokohama, off the coast of Japan, during the Vietnam War era. It was here that Beverly found her own self-expression in ikebana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging. Using the philosophy of ikebana as her starting point, Marcia Gay Harden intertwines the seasons of her mother’s life with her own journey from precocious young girl to budding artist in New York City to Academy Award-winning actress. With a razor-sharp wit, as well as the kind of emotional honesty that has made her performances resonate with audiences worldwide, Marcia captures the joys and losses of life even as her precious mother gracefully strives to maintain her identity while coming to grips with Alzheimer’s disease. “Replete with emotionally resonant scenes, humor, and tales of Harden’s own journey as an actor” (Booklist), Seasons of My Mother illustrates the unforgettable vulnerability and beauty of motherhood, as Marcia does what Beverly can no longer do: she remembers.
Download or read book Keeper written by Andrea Gillies and published by Short Books. This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'The Dementia time Bomb' has come to describe the devastating potential of a disease that, so cruelly, does not shorten life but rather eats away at it.
