Best Books for Alzheiemer's Disease and Dementia Patient InformationI (Paula) love to read so when it came time to find information about our Mom’s condition I read a lot of books. Some of them were okay, but some of them were great! In my research for the website I am continuing to read books about dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and caregiving in general. This page will be updated when I find a book worth sharing with you. If you have read a book that has helped you in your dementia caregiving journey use the Contact Us form at the bottom of the page to share it with us. We would love your input.
Reviews of Dementia and Alzheimers Caregiving BooksLearning to Speak Alzheimer’s A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Diseaseby Joanne Koenig Coste I love this book! Written in a very relaxed, conversational style the author describes what she calls habilitation meaning “to make capable.” In the first chapter of her book Ms. Coste tells a story of how her husband, the dementia patient, would repeatedly open the door to go outside and their toddler son would follow him. Knowing that if this continued one or both of them would be in danger she put another door knob on the door out of reach of her son and disabled the original doorknob. Her husband would then try the old door knob, think it was broken, and walk away. She says, “This event made me realize that I could make some changes in the way we were living. I could stop walking on eggshells, in fear of what would happen next, and start making a positive difference in our surroundings and in my approach to his illness.” The book is filled with ideas on everything from formulating a plan of care, to talking with the Alzheimer’s victim, to communicating effectively with the dementia patient, to making meal time easier, and much, much more. Practical, doable, simple ideas to help make your loved one’s journey through confusing, scary times more peaceful, more productive, and even more playful, if you are caring for a dementia patient, whether or not they have Alzheimer’s you need this book. Highly recommended!
by Nancy L. Mace, M.A., and Peter V. Rabins, M.D., M.P.H. This book is written by professionals this book deals with many issues that will help the dementia caregiver to better understand and deal with many issues affecting the dementia patient. The information is easy to find and easy to apply to situations ranging from symptoms to dealing with other medical problems like pain, dehydration, and constipation to getting outside help to handling financial and legal issues. Great for Sandwich Generation families, this book even has a chapter addressed to meeting the needs and answering the questions of children and teenagers. If you are looking for a resource that has answers to just about every dementia related question you may have this book is for you.
by Howard Gruetzner This book deals solely with Alzheimer’s disease, its causes, symptoms, and treatments. It offers advice on how to cope with caregiver stress and lays out step-by-step what the caregiver can expect as the disease progresses. This book contains sections that are more scientific and factual such as information about various medications and the latest therapies that are being tried. The chapter on Exploring Community Resources can be invaluable for a caregiver in finding the help they need before it is critical. Very helpful, informative book.
by B.J. FitzRay I wish I had found this book while my Mom was still alive. She spent too many hours doing nothing, and, I am sure, feeling useless. This book could have changed that. It offers hundreds of specific activities that are appropriate for people suffering from dementia symptoms. These activities will stimulate all five senses and provide something to do to keep both the caregiver and the dementia patient involved, engaged, and interacting with each other. Here are a few examples of the activities in this book: Go to a nearby pond, lake, or river to fishCut out cookies with cookie cuttersStroll through a fragrant garden. Take time to stop and smell the flowers. What joy these kinds of activities could bring to your loved one! I know I often got caught up in the day to day chores of caregiving, housekeeping, and appointments and forgot the Mom used to love to have fun. The dementia patient can no longer make plans for their own entertainment. This guide will help you to do it for them.
by Harriet Hodgson This book deals mostly with how dementia affects the caregiver and gives advice and information to help make your job easier. It ends each chapter with a list of things that you can do to facilitate their ideas. This book also talks about specific situations the dementia caregiver may face and how to handle them with the least amount of stress. The chapters on “Who Will Pay?” and “Legal Considerations of Care” offer excellent solutions to solving these potential trouble spots before they become critical issues. It does lean a little too heavily on nursing home care, but for some families this may be the only viable option. The information in this book will help you to be better prepared for what to expect.
by Helen D. Davies and Michael P. Jensen Addressed to Alzheimer’s victims the layout of this book is in simple question and answer format. If you are a caregiver for a dementia patient in the beginning stages of the disease who can still understand the answers to what is happening to them this book will be a great resource. Some questions it answers:What is Alzheimer’s disease?How long will I live?Am I doing everything I can to help myself?It is so hard to socialize; should I continue? These answers will even help the caregiver to better help the dementia patient deal with and overcome some of the obstacles that face them. Very helpful book.
by Ann Cason Very helpful information and instructions on how to organize a basic schedule, form a caregiving team, and deal with difficult behavior. Not specifically geared toward the dementia patient, but helpful for the caregiver in making decisions about how to make the home environment comfortable and efficient. This book also includes a chapter on end of life care to help the caregiver be prepared for the last days of their loved ones life. Get a FREE Copy of Our Ebook!
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