Books
“Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande
This thought provoking and emotional book is a must read for anyone that cares for an aging parent. Atul Gawande so clearly sees the good and the bad of our medical and health care systems: the places, people and the business we rely on for our aging loved ones. He brings to life the choices and decision points we will face through his empathetic stories of real people. Throughout the book I related what was being said many times to my father’s illness and death. Gawande helped me think about how I can handle my mother’s time differently. I wept at the end of this book as Atul Gawande took me through his father’s story. (Affiliated link: Being Mortal)
“How to Say It to Seniors”
“How To Say It to Seniors” by David Solie, M.S., P. A. outlines two critical needs of our seniors after 70: the need for control and the need to reflect on what their lives have meant to themselves, their loved ones and the world at large. What Solie calls “legacy work”. The frustrating behaviors of our seniors: repeating stories, fretting over unimportant details and abruptly ending conversations when we are trying to resolve issues, takes on new insight when framed against these control and legacy work. In his book, Solie illustrates how words we use can sound like negative control statements and how using specific questions and action verbs to restate our words give elders the sense of control they need. (Affiliated link: How to Say It to Seniors)
“I Love You…Who Are You?”
“I Love You…Who Are You?” by Patti Kerr Certified Alzheimer’s Educator is for anyone faced with caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. I had the pleasure of hearing Patti speak about her journey as caregiver for her mom. She outlined the road-map to support from diagnosis to the end of the journey with humor, dignity and insight. If you are faced with caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s I urge you to pick up this book. You will find the advice, tips and insights contained in it invaluable. (Affiliated link: I Love You…Who Are You?)
“Still Alice” by Lisa Genova
Chances are you have seen the Academy Award winning performance of Julianne Moore in “Still Alice” or read the book. I have not seen the movie and the book has been on my list of must reads for a long time now. I’m not sure why I resisted for so long. Maybe, because like most people, I fear a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. To understand what the descent into dementia is really like, could make all the times I can’t recall a name or why I walked into a room frightening, instead of an annoyance.
I could not put this book down. That Alice is a woman with a PHD in Psychology and an understanding of cognitive function makes her insight into what is happening compelling and inspirational. That her family relationships are as complicated as mine, that her sense of self and where she fits into the world is rooted in her work, results in an insightful, intimate and powerful book. (Affiliated link: Still Alice)