Description
Book SynopsisPractical, intelligent advice for carers and families coping with Alzheimer's.
Table of ContentsContents
Part One: Something Has Gone Wrong 9
1. Bruised Reeds and Dimly Burning Wicks 10
Alzheimer’s: A Family Affair 13
Some Facts About Alzheimer’s 15
2. Searching for the Truth 18
Historical Highlights 20
Maybe It’s Not Alzheimer’s 22
Don’t Neglect the Lab Tests 27
The Mind Matters 29
Having Your Head Examined 31
3. Facing the Facts 35
Blowing Away the Myths 38
The Aluminium Question 41
Don’t Deny the Decline 42
Six Reasons to Face the Facts 46
4. What’s Happening Upstairs? 51
What Goes Wrong? 55
Seeing the Symptoms 58
Facing the Second Stage 60
Part Two: Caring for Your Loved One 63
5. When Memory Starts to Fade 64
The Faces of Memory Loss 65
Simple Memory Joggers 69
Maintaining People Awareness 71
Thingamajigs and Thingamabobs 72
Breaking Through the Walls 74
6. Emotional Fireworks 76
Triggers for Catastrophic Reactions 76
What to Do and What to Avoid 79
Relying on Rituals 82
7. Always on the Move 84
Sundowning 84
Prone to Wander 87
Leaving Home 92
8. Baffling Behaviours 97
Hoarding 97
Managing Mealtimes 100
Losing Control 104
Sexual Disinhibitions 110
9. The Struggle for Safety 113
Taking Away the Car Keys 113
Home Safety 117
Educate Yourself and Be Prepared 122
When the Emergency is You 123
Watching Over Your Loved One 125
Part Three: Caring for Yourself 127
10. People Who Help 128
Support Groups 129
Friends and Relations 134
Little Ones 138
11. Carer Support Systems 140
Home Care 141
Adult Day Centres 145
Sheltered Housing 146
Residential and Nursing Homes 146
Extended Care Facilities 147
Other Alternatives 147
Keep Searching 148
12. Our Tangled Emotions 149
Fears and Anxieties 150
The Guilt Trip 153
Good News 156
13. Hot But Not Burned Up 158
Anger at God 161
Anger at Others 164
Anger at Alzheimer’s 166
14. Down But Not Out 169
Facing Depression 171
Role-reversals 172
Searching for the Light 173
Maintaining Physical Fitness 174
Keeping Mentally and Emotionally Balanced 176
Seeking Spiritual Support 179
Finding Joy in the Wilderness 180
Part Four: Saying Goodbye 183
15. The Difficult Decisions 184
Knowing When to Give Up Caring at Home 184
What Are the Options? 188
Looking for a Long-term Care Facility 191
Additional Criteria and Resources 193
How Do I Pay the Bills? 194
Making That Difficult Decision 196
Continuing to Care 197
Continuing-care Issues 200
The Post-mortem and After 201
Consenting to a Post-mortem Brain Autopsy 204
Making Medical Arrangements 205
Knowing the Truth 206
16. Blowing Out the Candle 207
Caring for the Dying 207
Emotional and Spiritual Support 211
Brightly Burning Wicks 211
Appendix A: Evaluating Long-term Care Options 213
Appendix B: Other Dementias and
Related Disorders 219
Appendix C: Research and Medications 228
Appendix D: Useful Organizations and Resources 236
Notes 246
Index
