Product Description
Most people think there is little or nothing you can do to avoid Alzheimer's. But scientists know this is no longer true. In fact, prominent researchers now say that our best and perhaps only hope of defeating Alzheimer's is to prevent it.

After best-selling author Jean Carper discovered that she had the major susceptibility gene for Alzheimer's, she was determined to find all the latest scientific evidence on how to escape it. She discovered 100 surprisingly simple scientifically tested ways to radically cut the odds of Alzheimer's, memory decline, and other forms of dementia.

Did you know that vitamin B 12 helps keep your brain from shrinking? Apple juice mimics a common Alzheimer's drug? Surfing the internet strengthens aging brain cells? Ordinary infections and a popular anesthesia may trigger dementia? Meditating spurs the growth of new neurons? Exercise is like Miracle-Gro for your brain?

Even a few preventive actions could dramatically change your future by postponing Alzheimer's so long that you eventually outlive it. If you can delay the onset of Alzheimer's for five years, you cut your odds of having it by half. Postpone Alzheimer's for ten years, and you'll most likely never live to see it. 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's will change the way you look at Alzheimer's and provide exciting new answers from the frontiers of brain research to help keep you and your family free of this heartbreaking disease. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Alzheimer's Join the Fight : Help Eliminate the Disase: Become More Aware
100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss
Author: Jean Carper

" I feel like I am losing my mind." People say that all of the time without even realizing it. You feel stressed, angry or confused and can't get a grip of a specific situation or event that has happened or will occur. But, just stop and think about what "losing your mind" really means. What if you woke up every morning and looked into a mirror and had no idea where you were, your name or even where you live? Walking alone in the street is no longer an option because you get lost, disoriented and can't remember in which direction you came? Looking around you no one and nothing seems familiar. That face in the mirror is just a face and the mind or brain inside is gone. You are no longer yourself, the person you once were and can do nothing about it. Why wait until that happens? Why become a victim of your own circumstances and fall prey to one of the most deadly, horrific and degrading illnesses that plagues so many today, Alzheimer's. If you can prevent, delay or even never become one if its victims, with just a few daily changes in your lifestyle, diet, mindset and more, would you? I would and have already and with the information in Jean Carper's outstanding book and resource, 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss and you will be on the road improving your mind, body and hopefully Alzheimer's free forever.

Think of Alzheimer's having a bottle of acid poured inside of your brain. Slowly and painfully the acid wears away all of your brain tissue and function until there is nothing left. If you saw a car coming at you in the street you would move out of the way and avoid getting hit. Why wait to get hit when you can do some really simple things to avoid getting hit by this illness and live your life Brain Strong.

What are some of the ways author, Jean Carper states you can avoid this illness? I am not going into the medical research or aspects sited in this book. You can read that for yourself. Rather, I am going to expand on the many foods, exercises, drinks and practical ways you can eliminate Alzheimer's from your life, slow down the illness and become a brighter, smarter and more alert YOU!

How about the old adage, " An apple a day keeps the doctor away."What if an apple, apple juice or grape juice kept the old Alzheimer's away and the neurologist even farther away. Would you drink these juices and try eating an apple? I do.

Green vegetables, fresh fruits, berries, no trans fats, whole grains, cut out the sugar, add the coffee and caffeine as just some positive ways you can improve your brain, memory and keep dementia and Alzheimer's away. After learning several years ago that my cholesterol level was shooting up to the stars and why weight was getting closer to two hundred, I heard my doctor's voice loud and clear when he said: You need to lose weight, watch what you are eating and get off of that chair and start moving. My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and instead of doing what I normally do, keeping active, eating the right foods and more I became angry, upset and distraught that I had to retire from teaching and did not work any more. That was definitely the wrong route to take. Learning my health was now in jeopardy I decided to become more pro active and do something about it. Lost the weight, lowered the cholesterol, staying away from eggs, red meat, fried foods and butter does help. I never eat foods with tons of sugar, insist that food prepared in a restaurant is without salt or seasonings, and I have never felt better. I even walk every day and do the stairs when I can. Walking is the greatest release of excess anger, energy and tends to alleviate the stress that I encounter daily. Writing, reviewing books and many other brain stimulating activities add to the fact that I am told that I never forget anything which can be quite irritating to some.

The author created a profile for those who are conscientious and it fits me to the letter. Stating that checking your blood sugar, making sure your cholesterol levels are right and keeping yourself in good health are factors that will lower your risk for Alzheimer's. But, there is much more that you can do to prevent this dread disease from coming into your mind, body and brain.

Everyone goes through rough patches but the trick is to not become despondent, depressed and unhappy. Talking to your doctor, your family and staying upbeat, calm, cool and collected does help. In other words, don't sweat the small stuff it could lead to a whole lot of troubling big stuff. The author continues with many more foods, things to avoid and exercises that would help delay or prevent this disease. The one that really hits home is sugar level since my family is prone to diabetes, which both my grandparents had. Watching my grandmother check her sugar levels daily was really interesting as she performed the tests at least three times a day. She never ate anything she was not supposed to and she did have trouble seeing due to cataracts that were never removed. The cataracts and slight vision problems were due to the diabetes and other physical problems. Anyone who does not heed the warning of checking your sugar and blood levels for cholesterol are really asking for trouble in more ways than one. Your eyes are the window to the world and poor vision could be sign of things going downhill. Get your eyes checked.

This book is definitely written for the layperson. Easy to understand with research to back up each chapter, each of the one hundred ways to not get this dreaded disease, author Jean Carper has created a great resource for readers, caregivers, Alzheimer's centers, hospitals and nursing facilities.

One hundred simple things that everyone can implement and add to their daily routine can add years to their lives. Why would you even hesitate or have to think about it? Mental activities, word games, puzzles, music, learning a new dance, jogging, cutting down on the sugar, calories and socializing and smiling can help ward off the dreaded Alzheimer disease. Smiling means you are upbeat, happy, not depressed and calm. The Research speaks for itself. The results are quite profound-common sense ways to help keep your mind alert, active and on target. Jean Carper, in her 70's was a former CNN medical correspondent and columnist. Having the gene for Alzheimer's she decided to research scientific studies that would help her to stave off this horrific illness that destroys brain cells and depletes minds.

Bottom Line: Create an environment rich in print, social activities, mind challenging games board, video and paper, eat the right foods, watch that waist line and make sure your stomach does not hang out, and you must might ward off this disease. I for one have tried many of the one hundred tips. I host a two radio shows on Blog Talk Radio which requires a lot of time and preparation. I review books for authors all over the world and that is truly challenging. I even wrote five books and one on Alzheimer's. I eat right, my blood pressure is on the low side and my sugar levels are fine. You too can start on the road to great health and prevent this disease from getting you.

Let's gang up on Alzheimer's and declare war. This is war that requires no weapons, guns or fighting. It just requires each one of us to read this book, try at least 25 of the great tips and add one more every week. Grow that bigger brain, eat those fruits and vegetables and learn the rest by reading this book. If I gave away all of the one hundred tips and the final chapter that tells you how to put it all together: I would reveal too much.

Remember: A Mind Is Precious: You Don't Want to Lose Yours!

Herm's opinion
The book is easy reading. It is eye-opening to realize all the "little" things that enter into an association with the prospect of Alzheimer's. The author is to be commended for her efforts in cataloging each topic. Much of the remedies are familiar activities but many are surprising.

Quick & easy read
Jane offers researched tips that anyone can practice in a 1-2 page per tip book format.

100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss
100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss Go to John's Hopkins Univercity put Is Alzheimer's preventable in the search and check out page 14 of the document.Summary Alzheimer's is not Preventable. Never mind here is the link
[...]

Very Helpful
Jean Carper hits all the right spots, writing clearly and forcefully. She doesn't overdo it withoverhyped claims and clearly let's you know whenher suggested strategiesare the result of one study, two, or many, and often examines contradicting studies.

Equally important, the strategies she so effectively presents cannot possibly ( at last it seems to me) be harmful in moderation and indeed should probably be useful for all of us, no matter our age.

I have read some of her earlier books and this is as effective and engaging as those that preceded it ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (49)

Alzheimer's
This book contained some very helpful advice on dealing with Alzheimer's patients.I must admit, however, that it made me feel inadequate.I would love to be the caring, loving, ever-patient caregiver, but that is not my reality.The person for whom I'm caring is irascible, stubborn and impatient, and I frequently run out of patience.That said, this book is still a very valuable resource for families caring for an Alzheimer's patient.

So informative...
I would HIGHLY recommend reading this book if you are wanting to know more about Alzheimer's.Earlier this year our family started researching and learning about this horrible disease.We've now gone through several books and passed them around for other family members to read.THIS book BY FAR has been my favorite on the topic.The thought of HABILITATIVE care of Alzheimer's patients is so right on... you can see the difference in the patient immediately with the tips covered in that section of this book.Amazing what this disease is capable of and how, if you let it, it will rip apart people who love each other.Buy it today... and no, I'm not receiving any sort of compensation for the recommendation!;- )

Best book I've found for caregivers of Alzheimer's patients
My husband (a neurologist) and I own a company that educates both family and employed caregivers on how to appropriately interact with dementia patients, a mission born out of our experience with numerous loved ones with dementia. This book is the best I have found to recommend to caregivers.It is written by a woman whose husband was diagnosed with AD in the early 1970's while he was in his 40's.There were no resources available at the time, so she had to develop her own caregiving methods.In the intervening years, she has refined these methods into an life-affirming approach to care that promotes the dignity of the individual.It gives tried and true techniques for dealing with things like combativeness, independence, dressing, bathing, eating, wandering, etc. --- all the major issues faced by caregivers.It is a relatively short and easy read, but packed with useful information.I give it my highest recommendation.

Actually helpful when so little is.
As many other reviewers have noted this book seems to be the most aware of the realities of the lives of caregivers.

I am an only child. My mother passed away in 1998 and my father has been slowly spiraling down alzheimer's since then to the point where he requires 24-hr-care.

May other books assume a family perspective and are not sensitive to those who find themselves to be the sole caregiver.
I have also been helping my father through this since my early 20s and many other books are also not sensitive to the fact that those who are not of the boomer or "sandwich generation" may still find themselves in the role of caregiver.

This book offered actual strategies I was able to use to improve communication with my father. It also is the only book of the many Alzheimer's books I have read that made me feel better, not worse, after reading it.
My copy is so creased and dog-eared after about 4 years of use that I may need a new one soon!

I wish love and strength and energy to all those who find themselves seeking this book.
If you are seeking for someone else, please get them this book.

Great book!
I love this book! There are practical and surprising suggestions for dealing with the everyday hardships of caring for someone with Alzheimer's Disease. The most useful part of this book for me was the pratical, humane and clever approaches for modifying the environment to fit the person with AD. It was written with compassion and humor. I found the information helpful and inspiring. I am learning to accept my mother where she is now not try to recover what used to be. This book is filled with great tips, personal insight and a wonderful philosophy for living in the here and now. ... Read more

Product Description
Written for patients, their families, and caregivers, the practical information here will help readers understand what is physically happening to the brain so they can empower their own special skills and talents throughout the disease process. The book is divided into three sections that correspond to the progression of Alzheimer’s, and the unique challenges encountered at each stage.

*Section A:The four stages of Alzheimer's with hundreds of practical tips for coping at each level

*Section B:Q&A for caregivers, including legal and financial issues, medication, helping children understand, handling the holidays and more.

*Section C:Resources and websites.

This is an essential book for all those who want to focus on the capabilities that remain instead of those that have been lost. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

What a caregiver thinks of this book
I was a caregiver for my Mom with Alzheimer's for several years before her passing. Alzheimer's is a confusing disease for the patient and the caregiver. So many issues arise that the normal person would never face otherwise; shadowing, sundowning, wandering and many others. It's difficult to learn to Parent a parent. And this books helps with so many of those answers. This book is also a great help if someone you love is struggling with Alzheimer's disease.The Forgetting: Alzheimer's: Portrait of an Epidemic

good resource
I bought this for my mother due to her husband having the beginning stages of dementia and alzheimers.I read it quickly before passing it on, however she has told me that it has helped her immensely.

For Hospice Volunteers & Workers
I bought this book to share with my Hospice Volunteers. It has a lot of great information for anyone working with or living with someone with Alzheimer's.

Great explanation of the loss of brain function
The pie charts that show the disease's progression were spectacular. The tips were well organized and succinct. I highlighted much in this book, to use as a handy guide and reference. It was an eye-opening experience to read about bizarre behaviors that I thought were unique to my 91 year old Godmother. As I learn more about this awful disease, I now see and understand she is exhibiting classic symptoms of advanced Alzheimer's. It helps to know that her behaviors are not directed at me as I originally thought, but that she is sick. If you think you are alone and there is no escape, you must read this book. I finished in less than a couple of hours. Best investment of my time and money that I have made in a long time.

A Helpful Guide
I purchased 3 books on Alzheimer's from Amazon. This one is helpful for all the tips and suggestions. It covers resources available, suggestions on how to handle legal matters, and many other issues.

It's very important for the caregiver of an Alzheimer's patient to have this type of information.

There is another book I found even more helpful. It's called 'Learning How to Speak Alzheimer's'. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Revised in 2006 for its twenty-fifth anniversary, this best-selling book is the "bible" for families caring for people with Alzheimer disease, offering comfort and support to millions worldwide. In addition to the practical and compassionate guidance that have made The 36-Hour Day invaluable to caregivers, the fourth edition is the only edition currently available that includes new information on medical research and the delivery of care.

The new edition includes:

-new information on diagnostic evaluation-resources for families and adult children who care for people with dementia-updated legal and financial information-the latest information on nursing homes and other communal living arrangements-new information on research, medications, and the biological causes and effects of dementia

Also available in a large print edition

Praise for The 36-Hour Day:

Customer Reviews (110)

Complete Answers for Every Caregiver of an Alzheimer's patient
My copy of this book is threadbare. I took care of my Mom with Alzheimer's until she passed away 3 years ago. A single day with an Alzheimer's patient is filled with questions, all day long. You feel as though you're losing your mind with all the odd behaviors, forgotten memories and constant repetitions. When you read this book, it suddenly makes sense. It helps the Caregiver understand that it isn't their fault, that they are doing enough, that they shouldn't feel guilty and it is all right to live normally, despite the sorrow of the patient.

A fantastic book! Perfect for the Caregiver and family members. It brings understanding of such a sad disease.

Sandy
[...]

Caregivers Bible
This book is fantastic. A must have for all caregivers caring for loved ones with dementia. It has been called the caregivers bible. I wish I had bought the book earlier.

Incredibly Helpful
I think everyone who has a family member with Dementia should be required to read this book. My mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers and this has helped me to understand what she is going through. I've completed the book, but still turn back to parts as it serves as a handbook. It's almost like a mini-support group. It was recommended to me by a friend who's mom went through what my mom is going through now-and together we understand better the trials and tribulations of such a cruel disease, but also know how to make the best of the situation.

The 36 hour day
Undoubtedly one of the most user friendly books about dementia and alzheimer's disease being published. It has been around for a number of editions and just keeps on being more informative. Taking care of a dementia or alzheimer's individual can be a very taxing job. If you are not working and do the caregiving full time is one thing but if you work full time and have to come home to someone in need of assistance it can be totally overwhelming. This book gives you information, ideas and support during this period for not only your life but the one you are taking care of. You can't do it all on your own and The 36 Hour Day helps you not only realize this but gives you basic information, addresses and organizations to help you and your loved one cope.I used this book while taking care of my mother for four years and have now had to purchase the new 4th edition for my life partner who has been diagnosised with this emotionally charged disease. If you buy no other book on the subject, please believe me when I say that this is the one book you will find most helpful. And, remember take time for yourself - it's the most important thing you can do for yourself.The alzheimer's patient has been set free - it's your responsibility to realize this and look towards the your own future without feeling guilty.

Best ever....
This is the third one I have ordered.First one was for my children and myself while we were dealing with the Alzheimer's Disease of my husband. It helped so much in so many ways that I have since ordered two more for friends who are dealing with that disease. ... Read more

Product Description
Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease profoundly alters lives and creates endless uncertainty about the future. How does a person cope with such a life-changing discovery? What are the hopes and fears of someone living with this disease? How does he want to be treated? How does he feel as the disease alters his brain, his relationships, and ultimately himself?

Richard Taylor provides illuminating responses to these and many other questions in this collection of provocative essays. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at age 61, the former psychologist courageously shares an account of his slow transformation and deterioration and the growing division between his world and the world of others.

With poignant clarity, candor, and even occasional humor, more than 80 brief essays address difficult issues faced by those with Alzheimer’s disease, including
• the loss of independence and personhood
• unwanted personality shifts
• communication difficulties
• changes in relationships with loved ones and friends
• the declining ability to perform familiar tasks

This rare, insightful exploration into the world of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease is a captivating read for anyone affected personally or professionally by the devastating disease. Individuals with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease will take comfort in the voice of a fellow traveler experiencing similar challenges, frustrations, and triumphs. Family and professional caregivers will be enlightened by Taylor’s revealing words, gaining a better understanding of an unfathomable world and how best to care for someone living in it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Excellent book
I've read many books about Alzheimer's.This one is the very best.Dr. Taylor is articulate and introspective and provides amazing insights into the daily struggles of living with this disease.It's a must read for all caregivers and for patients in the early stages of the disease.

Exceptional Read
This is an excellent book to help those of us who have a loved one with Alzheimers better understand the thoughts, feelings, concerns and fears of a person dealing with the disease.We need to have so much compassion for the victims of this disease.Wonderful book!

wow
This is probably one the best books I've read, and I read a lot.My mother recently died of complications of Alzheimers.This book reflects many of the struggles she talked to me about including how to retain her sense of self and some feelings of competency.I appreciate his emphasis that everyone's experience with dementia is different and this book presents his experience. I was dazzled by the books simplicity and glad to get a preview of some of the things I need to think about for myself and my husband.In the old days there was little literature from a cancer patient's perspective.Now there's a plethora of books by cancer survivors.The nature of Alheimers makes it less likely that there will be a glut of well crafted books providing the perspective of those suffering from the disease.Kudos to this author for taking it on and doing the delicate balancing act of performing while having a disease that impacts performing.

Very Informative Book
My Mother has Alzheimer's and this book was very helpful in helping me to understand how she sees and thinks about things.She isn't able to tell me what is going on in her mind at all.I learn the most when I listen to her talk to herself in the mirror.But this book, written by someone who actually was documenting how things were feeling to him, was very helpful.I have been able to get closer to my Mother now.I picked up several ideas on how to communicate with her since reading the book.This has been one of the most helpful books on Alzheimer's I have read.Another book that I really liked is "Still Alice."

Good Book
This book points out that people have feelings even when sick.I think that is great since so many people treat loved ones with memory problems with disrespect. ... Read more

Product Description
This edition includes the latest information on Alzheimer’s risk factors, treatments, and prevention, as well as a new chapter, "Voices of Experience," composed of reflections by family members. It also provides information about new drugs approved since 1999 and the federal government’s decision to cover counseling and other health-related services through Medicare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

a very practical book
This is by far one of the most helpful books if you have someone in your life who has AD

You can judge this book by its title.
I originally listened to an abridged version of this book which I found in my local library.It was so helpful that I listened to it twice, and then ordered several copies of the paperback to share with my six siblings, and with our 83-year-old mother, who has just been diagnosed.

The book was a little late for my brother and sister who live in town with Mom and are dealing with the every day issues, but it reinforced what they have done and are doing: the book could have been a case study of our family's experience, and that is a comfort.It was just in time for those of us who live far away, and whose most frequent interaction with Mom is on the phone, where she's been able to put up a good front for quite a while.And on a recent visit to see Mom, I mentioned that I had this book which gave, among other things, a very good layman's primer to the biology of the disease; her native curiosity was in place that day, and she said she'd like to read that.She still has my copy, and talks about how interesting it has been for her to read.

The book has helped to equip me for direct conversations, with Mom and with my siblings, which we needed to have.As a result, Mom has gone from a form of denial to being able to call her own sisters (across country) and tell them herself of her condition.This, along with my sister finally convincing her to stop driving and to accept household help (she lives alone), are major milestones made somewhat easier all around by our use of the book.

I also appreciate that while the book works at preparing us for a long haul with this disease, it spares us the details of the later stages; this is another example of "truth in packaging" I came to appreciate after giving the book to Mom to read.(Any details about the future she doesn't know now, she probably will not need to know!)

Wonderful and straight to the point
I bought this book along with 2 others, "The 36 Hour Day" and "Learning to Speak Alzheimers"I am the main caregiver for my mother-in-law and very new to being in this position.I wanted to read and discover anything that would help me be the caregiver I wanted for her and to have all the information on AD out there. I wanted to know what to expect and when to expect it as far as symptoms and odd things she would do that I didn't understand.If you are looking for a book that gives you specifics on what to look for, what to do and how to handle it, I would recommend this book and also the other 2 I purchased.These 3 books together can answer most all queations you may have about AD, what to look for at what stage and how to respond to it appropriately.

Excellent Book
I was reading everything I could find on the subject, but I wished that there was a book about the early stages.I was a long way from needing all of the end of life material I was reading.I found my answers in this book and will review it as time goes on.Thank you.

Must Read for family of Dementia Patient
If you have a loved one that is showing early dementia signs, this is a must read!If you do not know and understand what you will be facing, it will be unbelievably difficult.But this book can help you understand what is happening so you do not take personally what is being said and done by your loved one. ... Read more

Product Description
From a world-renowned neurologist, the first book to feature a scientifically substantiated program for the only treatment for Alzheimer's: PREVENTION

Alzheimer's is a devastating and frightening disease, and as baby boomers age it's on the brink of becoming the great epidemic of the twenty-first century. Fortunately, by making proper lifestyle choices and avoiding certain risk factors, most people can prevent Alzheimer's, and it can be delayed in those who are genetically predisposed. The Anti- Alzheimer's Prescription presents a unique four-step program that includes menus, recipes, exercises, stress reduction techniques, and neurobics to lower the risk of Alzheimer's by as much as 70 percent.

Dr. Fortanasce, who witnessed his own father's painful decline from the disease, is determined to stop Alzheimer's from becoming pandemic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Very helpful, balanced
Anti-Alzheimer prescription deals with health for the mind and candidly lays out the cost of not dealing with the subject.Shows how those who are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer's disease can at least postpone its onset and possible avoid it altogether. We've found the emphasis on diet, rest, exercise & social life a necessity for healthy anyway, and find the instructions in the book clear and very helpful by way of adjusting what we're doing for greater impact.My wife and I are attending a lecture series by Dr. Fortanesce that reinforces the contents of the book and have had a handful of friends join us since the start.Alzheimer's is rare outside the West, a product of our lifestyle.Once a person has it, nothing can be done about it even after $24 billion in research.Prevention is the key

Everyone needs to read this
Dr. Fortanasce helps us understand and put into practice tried and true life style habits that will prevent or delay dementia and Alzheimers disease.

Bad title -- INDISPENSIBLE!
Although this book does offer a prescription of for preventing Alzheimer's, the title is misleading -- the book is about so much more than Alzheimer's!Alzheimer's is only a subset of the vast information regarding bodily functions and the effects of various nutrients and drugs in language easily understood by nonprofessionals.The book is a MUST READ for anybody concerned about their health and the effects caused by diet, exercise and mental state.In easy to understand language this book gives a detailed explanation of the interactions of various bodily hormones, the organs that produce them and how they are affected by nutrients and stress.

I was also impressed by Dr. Fortanasce's motivation in writing this book.I have to admit when I first saw the book after a friend recommended it, I thought, "Jesus!Another book by a greedy doctor not satisfied with the six figure salary with which he is already blessed."But I was wrong.He is a neurologist that was going merrily through his doctor's life when his own father was stricken with Alzheimer's.Father and son were close. and Dr. Fortanasce had to go through the entire heart wrenching experience from his father's initial memory slight loss to the point where he could not even remember his own son to his complete breakdown, complete with diapers.Dr. Fortanasce went on a mission to find out whether he was at risk and how this terrible disease could b e prevented or at lest slowed down.He wrote this book to share with the world what he found.At the $10 Amazon price, it is clear that the book is not making him rich. However, it IS a wealth of information that EVERYBODY should have.Please read this book and share it with all for whom you care.

IF YOUR HIGH RISK FOR ALZHEIMER'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

YOU CANT CHANGE YOUR GENETIC PREDISPOSITION FOR THIS DISEASE BUT YOU CAN CHANGE SOME RISK FACTERS. WRITTEN BY A NEOROLOGIST WITH PERSONAL AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL INTEREST. THIS BOOK KEPT MY INTEREST A YEAR AGO. I AM GLAD IT IS NOW IN PAPERBACK FOR MY BOOK COLLECTION.

Important Information
The Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription is an interesting look at one of the most dreaded diseases.The book presents a fact-filled guide to better health and what lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent the onset of the disease.

Broken down in three parts, Dr. Fortanasce explains first in layman's terms what is known about Alzheimer's and how to evaluate your personal risk factors.The second part of the book is a four-step plan to help prevent the disease by targeting specific health needs of your body and brain.Part Three is the diagnosis, treatment, and future of Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Fortanasce believes that even with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's there are steps that can be taken to prevent or delay the disease.His experience as a neurologist, and even more personally with his own father, gives the doctor an insight into what lifestyle changes can be made to decrease the likelihood of developing the disease.Using a science-based method with a holistic approach, the doctor gives health suggestions, exercises for both the body and the brain, relaxation techniques, and even menu plans with recipes. Especially interesting is the information on how important sleep is to our health and the importance of the treatment of sleep apnea.

To say this is an important book is an understatement.Alzheimer's is such a devastating disease. If we can make smart choices in our life now, think of the impact we will make on our future.
... Read more

Product Description
Imagine hearing these words: "She has Alzheimer's." Now imagine that "she" is vibrant, active, loving, healthy...and just 55. Acclaimed CBS News reporter Barry Petersen, writes about hearing the unimaginable: what it meant, what it still means, what he did--and didn't do--and how this beautiful love story needs to be read by the thousands of families who have already heard that same devastating diagnosis...EARLY ONSET ALZHEIMER'S. Jan's Story is a full, rich story of two people--and thousands like them--for whom "forever" suddenly and terrifyingly has an expiration date. Barry Petersen is a long-time, award-winning TV journalist who has covered wars, the devastating Asian tsunami, the historic confrontation at Tiananmen Square, the unspeakable deaths in Rwanda, and so much more...but was not even slightly prepared for what happened to his darling wife, Jan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Ultimately comes across as self-serving
In some sense no one is given the right to comment on someone else's experience, but I was dismayed at the end of this book by how the author ultimately deals with his loneliness due to the decline of his wife suffering from Alzheimer's, by seeking out and entering into a relationship with another woman while his wife is still living. As I know personally, caregivers are under a tremendous deal of stress, but substantial support is available - medically, emotionally and spiritually. No one chooses this calling, but taking care of oneself while caregiving needn't extend to this level.

I Learned a Lot
This is a good way to learn about Alzheimers.To learn about it so that you can deal with it in the best way.

I intend to read this book again and again, because it makes me feel that I understand better what is happening as we go from the beginning to the end.

I heard about this book when the man who wrote it (Barry Petersen) was interviewed on television.He really knew the difficulties of Alzheimers because he was living with it - and he conveyed it so well.

I went from the TV to Amazon and I am so glad I did.

A fine account, highly recommended!
JAN'S STORY: LOVE LOST TO THE LONG GOODBYE OF ALZHEIMER'S tells of love lost to early onset Alzheimer's Disease - and of ongoing love. This coverage tells of how Barry and Jan came together - and how Alzheimer's parted them. It's both a celebration of life and a story of how a loving couple battled disease as long as they could, and it offers an inspiring story of courage, optimism, and decreasing options. A fine account, highly recommended!

Jan's Story by Barry Petersen
Jan's story is a "must read" for those who are now going through or have already experienced the caregiving of a loved one with Alzheimer's or a similar related dementia illness.I have gone through it myself with my beloved first husband, and I can honestly say that there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. I am now blessed with another loving, caring husband, and we treasure each moment of each day that we have with each other.
The book was truly a loving tribute to the endearing love that Jan & Barry shared together before the devastating disease seemed to take over.It's also a story of the strength to carry on, of hope and renewal,and the healing of the heart as we progress forward on life's journey.

A Must Read

This book gives an excellent understanding of how Alzheimer's develops in the everyday life of a happily married couple. After reading it, you truly realize what empathy, understanding, and patience it takes for the ones on both sides of the disease to handle all the unexpected circumstances.
... Read more

Product Description
We have long underestimated the person who has dementia. Each one's ability to reach out in familiar ways certainly diminishes yet he or she is always able to experience the deep benefits that come from being in vital relationship with others. Inside Alzheimer's tells how dozens of persons with dementia and their sharing of wisdom, humor and life's teachings led Ms. Pearce to the six basic principles of connection--how one person connects with another: Intend a connection, Free yourself of judgment, Love, Open to receive love, Silence and Thankfulness. Internalizing these principles has empowered hundreds of family, friends, and professionals to create moments of connection with persons, regardless of how advanced the dementia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A very important addition to the body of work for the caregiver of people with dementia!
One of the most trying aspects for anyone caring for a person with Alzheimer's and dementia involves the breakdown of communication. In her book, Inside Alzheimer's: How to Hear and Honor Connections with a Person who has Dementia, Nancy Pearce shows the way to communicate with people affected by dementia in any of its forms. Ms. Pearce is a social worker with more than 20 years of experience with geriatric patients and people with dementia. Those years have obviously given her tools to connect with people who many have given up on; but more obviously, she brings to her profession an intuitive understanding of the process. The importance of her intuition comes through clearly as she talks to us about the people she has touched and who have touched her.

As dementia including Alzheimer's progresses it causes one to lose access to memories, and as memories fade the person, more and more, exists in the present. It is in the present that you will successfully relate. Once you learn to be with this person in his or her sphere, which is the here and now, much of the frustration that is so common in caregivers of people with dementia will melt away. Inside Alzheimer's will help you to do just that. Whether you are a professional visiting caregiver, on staff at a facility caring for people with dementia, or are caring for a loved one at home, Inside Alzheimer's is a must read. (Even if you never have contact with a person with dementia, you will benefit from Nancy Pearce's insights.)

Very Helpful!
My mother was recently "offcially" diagnosed with Alzheimer's; however, we've know quiet awhile something was going on.This book has been a tremendous help in understanding this disease and how to relate to her better.No, it is not the same or will it ever be, but we can move forward into a new relationship ... and this book has given me hope that it is possible.Very easy read!I love the stories.

How to speak to dementia patients
This is a great book. I wish I had found this sooner, as my mom has had Alzheimers for 8 years. She has been losing her ability to speak coherently and this book has been a great guide to help me through this most difficult time.

The power of positive communication
Inside Alzheimer's: How to Hear and Honor Connections with a Person who has Dementia, show the reader how to communicate effectively with someone who has dementia. Logical commnication skills often do not work so the author shares with the reader both how to listen and use body language to see what the dementia person is trying to say. Also the reader(loved one or professional) discovers how to, most effectively, mintain a connection with the person with dementia.

In addition, Nancy Pearce, shares how to value a dementia person. There are still many things you can do together, perhaps with a few adaptations. These things are discussed.

This book is certainly a must read for a loved one, friend, caregiver, or other professional.

by Susan Berg author ofAdorable Photographs of Our Baby: Meaningful, Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals

Clear, comforting and confidence inspiring
This book provides a very clear, comforting and confidence inspiring way for family and friends to spend time with a person with Alzheimer's. I really appreciated how the author was able to explain the meaning of the world to someone who has Alzheimer's so that I could spend all of my time responding from that context. This allows me to avoid responses that while normal and seemingly logical to me would make no sense to the person with Alzheimer's. The explanations and coaching language are very effective. It was easy for me to grasp and imagine the world of the person with Alzheimer's. By almost being able to walk in their "mocassins" I am able to focus entirely on learning how to get better at it - and therefore be a better friend and companion. Inside Alzheimer's: How to Hear and Honor Connections with a Person who has Dementia ... Read more

Product Description
-Strategies for managing memory loss

-Practical suggestions for moving forward with life

-Valuable resources to help you and your loved ones

-Important messages from people with Alzheimer's

Recent medical advances have made it possible to diagnose Alzheimer's when symptoms are only mild. New drugs are under investigation to help slow progression of the disease, and there is hope on the horizon for more effective treatments to keep the disease at bay. Today, when a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, they may have many years ahead with only mild symptoms. The result is that a growing number of people with early-stage Alzheimer's are seeking information about how to take charge of their diagnosis, manage symptoms, and cope effectively with the disease. Since the vast majority of books on Alzheimer's are written to caregivers, persons with the diagnosis are in great need of a resource that speaks directly to their own experiences and concerns while providing strategies for managing their daily life. Living Your Best with Early-Stage Alzheimer's: An Essential Guide fills an enormous void by providing a straightforward, practical guide on coping with the diagnosis, effectively managing symptoms, finding meaningful activity, planning for the future, strategies for easier communication, participating in research and clinical trials, and much more.
This book is a working guide to help the person with Alzheimer's feel empowered to move forward in life in light of this challenging diagnosis.

Endorsements:

"There are dozens of books about Alzheimer's, but this one truly lives up to its name as an essential guide for those living with the disease. It also provides families and friends with useful information and insights to help loved ones. Lisa Snyder has packed her many years of social work experience and the latest medical knowledge into a most readable book that is simply a gem."

-Daniel Kuhn, MSW, LCSW
Director, Professional Training Institute, Alzheimer's Association-Greater Illinois Chapter and author of Alzheimer's Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends and Caregivers

Finally...an extremely informative and comprehensive book written specifically for people who are living with early dementia! Lisa Snyder has realistically captured the complexities of the early-stage experience with all its challenges, frustrations, and light-hearted moments in this sensitively written work. This book should be required reading for everyone who is living with early-stage Alzheimer's, their family members, caregivers and professionals alike. It's an invaluable resource that I could not recommend more highly!

-Paulette Michaud, LCSW
Director of Early Stage Services
Alzheimer's Association
New York City Chapter

This sensitive and practical guide for people with early-stage Alzheimer's is refreshingly empowering and full of answers and solutions to day to day questions and challenges. It is a beacon of comfort and reassurance, written in the warm, intelligent voice of Lisa Snyder--a leading expert in the field. The book also provides invaluable wisdom and tips from people with Alzheimer's and is a must-read for all of my patients with Alzheimer's and their families.

-Steven A. Ornish, M.D.
Associate Clinical Professor, UCSD School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry
Vice President, San Diego Psychiatric Society

Living Your Best is the best medicine for individuals with early-stage Alzheimer's and their Families! This is a uniquely reassuring and comprehensive essential guide that you will read and re-read again.

-Lisa P. Gwyther, MSW, LCSW
Co-Author, The Alzheimer's Action Plan: A Family Guide (2009)
Education Director, Bryan Alzhei ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great book for me and my mom
I bought this book for my mom who has Alzheimer's and it's been really helpful for both of us. I'm not always sure how to bring up sensitive topics like driving or giving up the checkbook and we have both gone to the book and read sections together for guidance. There is so little written for the person with this disease and this book includes a lot of quotes from other people with Alzheimer's as well as solid professional advice. My mom will take advice from a peer or a professional before she takes it from me, so I appreciate having this guide to use together. When I asked my mom what she thinks of the book, she said it's comforting and helpful - not scary.

Another Insightful and Useful Book by Lisa Snyder
Ms. Snyder has written another excellent resource for those afflicted with Alzheimer's disease, their care givers and family members as well as health care professionals. As a home health and hospice nurse of over 25 years, I wish that this book had been available much earlier in my career. The insight and guidance it provides in dealing with the challenges of AD are invaluable. Like her first book, Speaking Our Minds, every health care professional would benefit from having Living Your Best in their library.

Becky Wong RN, BSN, CHPN

Comprehensive and compassionate
This book gently and wisely guides people facing early Alzheimer's in the same respectful manner as those facing anything else -- arming them with well-grounded knowledge and practical coping strategies. This is a thorough, very readable, and most useful resource.....
Robyn Yale, LCSW
Clinical Social Worker and author of "Developing Support Groups for Individuas with Early Stage Alzheimer's Disease: Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation"

very positive, thoughtful view
My first interaction with Alzheimer's was when, 10 minutes before being discharged from the hospital, a neurologist walks into my father's hospital room and tells us that Dad has dementia and that 30% of his brain had atrophied. With all the children thousands of miles away, we immediately went into a sort of disaster response mode planning what had to happen next. Lisa's book was a tremendous calming influence, showing how life would still go on and could still be rewarding. I read the book nearly cover to cover, it was like a lifeline. I really like the focus on the positive - focusing on the abilities and not the disabilities and always treating people like people. Lisa has a wonderful viewpoint that is often not evident in the medical profession.

good for first diagnosed patients......
This book would be great for someone first diagnosed with Alzheimer's....my Mom is more advanced...so a lot doesn't apply to her....but it is a very practical guide for someone who is still able to read. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes Vital Information on Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)Foreword by John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD, Director, Alzheimer's Disease Center, University of Pennsylvania HospitalAlthough the public most often associates dementia with Alzheimer's disease, the medical profession now distinguishes various types of "other" dementias. This book is the first comprehensive guide dealing with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), one of the largest groups of non-Alzheimer's dementias. The contributors are either specialists in their fields or have exceptional hands-on experience with FTD sufferers.

Beginning with a focus on the medical facts, the first part defines and explores FTD as an illness distinct from Alzheimer's disease. Also considered are clinical and medical care issues and practices, as well as such topics as finding a medical team and rehabilitation interventions. The next section on managing care examines the daily care routine including exercise, socialization, adapting the home environment, and behavioral issues. In the following section on caregiver resources, the contributors identify professional and government assistance programs along with private resources and legal options.

This newly revised edition follows recent worldwide collaboration in research and provides the most current medical information available, a better understanding of the different classifications of FTD, and more clarity regarding the role of genetics. A completely new chapter 5 enlightens the reader about the various drugs that are now being used with FTD patients and also delves into a number of nonmedical options. The wealth of information offered in these pages will help both healthcare professionals and caregivers of someone suffering from frontotemporal dementia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

what if it's not alzheimers?:caregivers guide to dementia
as a retired profession geriatric social worker, and now, the spouse of a patient with frontal-temporal lobe dementia, i found this specific book very helpful in understanding the different aspects of both alzhemiers and FTD.i found very little information dealing with just FTD.this was very helpful, written from the prospective of a spouse, also.well worth the read.thank you.

linda donnellan csw

Not the book for Lewy Body Demetia
I was looking for a book that would cover Lewy Body Dementia, the second-most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's. This wasn't it. There is a small section on LBD, but the main emphasis is on Frontotemporal dementia. Far more information, and more specific and up-to-date information on Lewy Body dementia is available on the internet from the LBD association.

What if it's not Alzheimers
This is a must read for anyone who has a loved one with dementia, a very informative book.

truly enlightening
When dementia creeps into a diagnosis, and age is a factor, AD seems to always be the 'next step' in the thought process. As I read more, I doubted the 'next step'. The symptoms just didn't fit. This book opened a whole new way of thinking about dementia and in our case, described our situation to a tee. It even surprised our PCP. It's a real find for the lay person looking for answers in the maze of stereotypes re: dementia.

helpful book
This book is a very good resource if you have a loved one diagnosed with FTD (Frontal Temporal Dementia).There is very thorough information about this disease.It is a shock when a loved one receives this diagnosis but this book is a very thorough resource. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (14)

The Myth of Alzheimer's
At first, I thought this was going to be a fraud; someone trying to sell a snake oil book about Alzheimer's. So, rather than buy it or skip it, I did some online searches about the book and the author and found that it was a book worth having.
We assume that the medical fields all know what they are talking about. Alzheimer's is not one thing, it is many related conditions. One person's mental decline will be different in its time line and symptoms. It is what it is and that is about all we can say.

Brain Aging and 'A Disease of the Century'

First a complaint: the book is repetitious. The first fifty pages, in particular, could have been cut by half, as the authors' central message is repeated, and repeated again.

Nonetheless, that message is vivid and germane for anyone looking after someone whose brain is under attack--or simply aging, as Peter Whitehouse and his cohort Daniel George put it. I only wish I'd read The Myth of Alzheimer's when I was taking care of my father in the last year of his life. My father's diagnosis, a common one I'm sure, was "Advanced second-stage dementia, most likely caused by Alzheimer's." I think Whitehouse's book would have confirmed my own instincts: that medications were unlikely to be of much help to my father, and that my job was to care for him, allowing him as much dignity as I could offer and as much warmth as he'd accept. He was prescribed Aricept and I gave it to him, but it seemed a frail defense against a powerful tide of memory loss and confusion.

As Whitehouse puts it, most people in the Alzheimer's empire know that "there is no singular disease called `AD,' and that it is a complex, scientifically imprecise social construct that may never be cured." And because of this, we would do better to focus our efforts on enlightened care than to pour all our money and attention into finding a cure for this little-understood disease--if indeed Alzheimer's is a disease at all, rather than simply an effect of brain aging.

In the last three decades, establishing cognitive deterioration and disability in the elderly as a disease, rather than the result of a natural process, has been vital to both researchers and drug companies. As Whitehouse explains it, "In order for their research to be taken seriously by those who controlled the public coffers, it was clear that their efforts had to be targeted at something other than the vague process of aging. Their work had to be focused on something real and immediate, something awesome and imminent--a specific disease worthy of massive research efforts into its cause and cure, a `disease of the century.'"

It helps, when making these charges, that Whitehouse is clear about his own role through the eighties and nineties, as one of those neuroscientists who embraced and formulated Alzheimer's as a disease, almost as a plague. He has since seen the light, and is extremely persuasive about it. There is much science and clear history in this book, and a great deal of common sense, as well. We have been sold, he claims, a dire vision of dementia, with the promise of an eventual cure--yet in thirty years we have made almost no progress toward that cure. What we need to do, Whitehouse explains, is take care of patients with cognitive decline, and keep them as involved in the world as possible. Our bodies break down and our minds break down, and there is much we simply have to live with. We can keep studying the problem of dementia, but in the meantime there are patients to be looked after.

Informative and Helpful
For anyone interested in knowing the truth about Alzheimer's disease, this is the book to read.You will not only learn a great deal about the history and current understanding of the nature of the disease, but you will also learn how the medical profession has wrongly diagnosed this dreaded disease.The most important part of the book--the last one third--provides details about how we can change the way we live in order to maintain healthy brains and thereby extend their useful life.A groundbreaking approach to truly understanding the nature of brain aging.

Changed My Outlook on my Mother's battle
The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded DiagnosisThis book totally changed my outlook on my mother's life.Dr. Whitehouse explains what is truly happening and what we can probably expect.Medicines are discussed as well as the future of 'Alzheimer's Disease'.I highly recommend this book for anyone involved in this disease.

Fabulous Book about Alzheimer's!
This is a wonderful resource for those whose loved ones have been diagnosed with the "A" word.It puts life back into perspective and shows how the loved one can still have a meaningful life and enjoy family relationships.I think caregivers will be encouraged, also, by Dr. Whitehouse's perspective as an experienced geriatric neurologist and researcher, that life is not over because the brain is aging in different ways, although there will be new challenges.I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
Drs. William Rodman Shankle and Daniel G. Amen reveal the latest research and treatment methods for preventing, delaying, and treating the devastation of Alzheimer's disease. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Very good book for information
I have not read the whole book but what I have read seems very informative and detailed.
I am glad that I bought it.

Informative
Interesting information is provided on Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.Although some information is rather technical, there is a great deal of information for the average person.An included glossary of terms is very helpful in understanding the material presented. One of the main points made is the importance of early treatment for this condition.With early diagnosis and treatment the progression of Alzheimer's can be delayed.Also, new treatments for Alzheimer's and other dementia will be available in the near future.

I know, I know
Nothing I didn't know.Eat right & exercise.I expected to learn something new.

Preventing Alzheimer's
"Preventing Alzheimer's" is the best informational book on the subject I have read. Dr. Daniel Amen is one of the foremost authorities in the world for neurological diseases. This book covers everything from a comprehensive explanation of just what Alzheimer's disease is to foods and medications that affect the symptoms, both good and bad. It explains testing for the different types of Alzheimer's and goes into preventative measures that can be taken to delay the symptoms of Alzheimer's. It gives hope for the future for the people who have the Alzheimer's gene. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is dealing with this devastating disease, whether caregiver or patient with early symptoms.

Save your quality of life, for You & Family
Easy reading- Required reading with the Baby Boomers sheer numbers- You may see these symptoms in public and instead of help you may want to have them arrested.Alzheimers will be like the heart attack, as they compare that 60yrs old is the new "40 yrs old".You can change your life with knowledge, change alzheimers with early diagnosis and diet along with behaviors.Lets help eachother here and first and foremost ourselves and our families. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Few books manage to balance practical suggestions and loving sympathy as well as Talking to Alzheimer's, a concise and comprehensive guide to communication with both paid caregivers and their patients. While the title suggests focus on a specific disease, the recommendations are appropriate for any family struggling with serious communication issues, whether those issues are the result of stroke, surgery, disease, or an accident.

Much of the book discusses methods of easing conversation during visits, as well as ways to manage the emotions that can surface in difficult times. From asking open-ended questions like, "How did your day go?" to gently reintroducing yourself to lifelong friends, the pointers here are written with kindness, and they focus on maintaining dignity for all involved. Short sections include tips on involving children in your visits and a welcome list of resources that spans organizations, Web sites, and additional books; this straightforward advice even includes expected response time to Web site inquiries. Instead of an index, you'll find a list of topics, so you can find immediate answers on "ending a conversation" and "when to insist."

One lengthy chapter covers the heartbreakers, such as dealing with refusals to eat or listening to tearful requests to be taken home. Author Claudia Strauss acknowledges the difficulty of these situations honestly, while at the same time providing simple words that can help diffuse the issues and open the path for joyful visits that benefit everyone involved. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Good book for caregivers
This is an exceptional book to help Alzheimer's caregivers learn to cope with this disease.

Excellent!
Such a positive approach.This book really helped me connect with my mother who has alzheimer's and is in a nursing home.I felt that I was making her more comfortable with our visits and not as confused.Thank you, Claudia J. Strauss for your helpful suggestions.

Not relevant enough
This book is basically a "feel good" book and doesn't address the grittiness of dementia/alzheimer disease.There are many of us whose loved ones/friends have become extremely hateful and vitriolic, and this book does nothing to give us some glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel."The 36-hour Day" is a much better and more comprehensive book.

Too much focus on what NOT to do
There are not a lot of books out there that even attempt to help people learn how to talk to a person with Alzheimers. I was very happy to find this book at all since I have just begun working at a day center program for persons with Alzheimers and dementia. This book is full of practical advice on the many ways and reasons we talk to persons with dementia and in that way, the book is extremely valuable.However,the overall emphasis of the examples is on what NOT to do, which is very frustrating. One of the reasons people seek out such a book in the first place is that they have already had some communicative breakdown and they are looking for ways to fix it, not more lists of what not to do.We already know what doesn't work. We want to know what does work.That said, please know that there is a wonderful small section with a parallel list of Don'ts and Do's near the end of the book. That section is worth looking at.

A how to "Talking to Alzheimer"guide
I first saw this book in the waiting room of a Dr. my mother was meeting with.I didn't have too much time to get into it then so I purchased it later and what a tremendous book, so easy to read and it had situations I am currenlty dealing with and the appropriate responses.I took it to my support group for caregivers and shared it with the group, some were going to purchase the next day. My thanks toClaudia Strauss for writing it!! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Hundreds of Clear Voices
Betsy Peterson includes at the start of her book a brief history of the fourteen years (fourteen years!) she spent looking after her husband Pete as he descended into Alzheimer's. But most of the book is a compilation of quotes by Alzheimer's patients, their caregivers, and an occasional counselor or author. The quotations are divided into 32 sections, with topics such as Something's Wrong, Invisible Disability, and As Words Fail, and I read almost every line with interest.

The author Sue Miller is represented, with a passage from her book that I wish I'd paid more attention to when I first read it:"I didn't know then that aggression and disruptive bahavior are often signs of physical discomfort in Alzheimer's patients. Now that I do, I suspect my father was in pain during these episodes, but that he himself had no understanding of this in a conventional sense and certainly no way to say, `I hurt.'"

S.G., a daughter, tells us, "My sister noticed that my mother was having difficulty holding down any food. She also seemed very weak and despondent. When we questioned her about how she felt, she was `just fine.'We took her to the hospital and discovered she'd had a severe heart attack. You need to be suspicious, doubting, persistent and very observant to diagnose illness in an Alzheimer's patient."

There are hundreds of entries, some longer than these, many shorter."A degree of denial is essential," one patient writes. "Like somebody sipping hot coffee, we sip the truth of our condition carefully and gently."

Some show a world in a single line: "She follows me all over the house. Follows me around like a puppy dog."

I could go on quoting, but best buy the book and keep it close. You'll find a hundred revelations that will touch your heart, and a hundred more that will reveal something new about this earthquake of a disease.

The Courage of Love
I was overwhelmed by the brilliance of this book, which highlighted the depth of the author's understanding of living with Alzheimer's Disease. The author had surrounded her husband with love as she learned to deal with his progressive neurological condition. She also portrayed in a remarkable way the differing situations of others who have struggled to understand, care for their loved onesand to maintain and develop self-care. Knowing the author personally, I am not surprised at the charm and creativity which emanate from this lovely book about one of the most devastating illnesses we can imagine. I was truly blessed to have been one of the support group leaders for families of people with Alzheimer's disease; I am not impartial since I have always been in awe of the author's concern for others,her unconditional love for her husband and her own unique gifts of style and grace.

Voices of Alzheimer's
A great book that outlines my ideas on facing the caregiving of someone with dementia!

Thanks for writting this book
This book is a small treasure.I keep picking it up a reading different passages.It helps me understand and appreciate my father, who has Alzheimer's, in ways that I have forgotten.

It helped the whole family, even dad picked it up to read.

Thanks for a fabulous book,

I am one of the people in this book
My name is Doreen. I am one of the people in Betsy Peterson's book. She mailed me a signed copy which I have lent to other people and they also found it very useful.I am writing this to let people know that even though the book is called Voices of Alzheimers, it is really a book about Dementia in general (my diagnosis is Pick's Disease, not Alzheimers and as the book indicates they later changed Betsy Peterson's husband's diagnosis from Alzheimer's to another dementia). So if youhave a family member who has a dementia other than Alzheimers, you can also find helpful (and hopeful) information in this book. ... Read more

Product Description
An estimated 4 million people are living with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in America today, with approximately 370,000 new cases diagnosed every year. AD patients live anywhere from 5 to 20 years after their diagnosis; and their inability to care for themselves grows more dramatic as the disease progresses, creating profound implications for their families and healthcare providers. Its impact on families during the caregiving years is overwhelming.

If you have a family member or close friend who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and you’re looking for current, useful information, then Alzheimer’s For Dummies is for you. This reference guide also is helpful if you

• Need to know more about its diagnosis and treatment
• Want to take care of yourself while taking care of your loved one
• Are not the primary caregiver but want to know how to help
• Want to know how Alzheimer’s Disease is going to affect you and your loved one

Alzheimer’s For Dummies takes a realistic look at Alzheimer’s Disease, what it is and what it isn’t. It offers pertinent, easy-to-understand advice for dealing with the myriad concerns and responsibilities that a primary caregiver must assume when managing an Alzheimer’s patient. Here’s a sampling of the information you’ll find in this valuable guide:

Product Description

"We are foolish, those of us who think we can escape the traps of aging," writes Tom DeBaggio. "I was one of them, dreaming of a perfect and healthy old age....Now, at fifty-eight, I realize the foolishness of my dreams as I watch my brain self-destruct from Alzheimer's." Losing My Mind is DeBaggio's extraordinary account of his early onset Alzheimer's, a disease that "silently hollows the brain" and slowly "gobbles memory and destroys life." But with DeBaggio's curse came an unexpected blessing: the ability to chart the mechanics and musings of his failing mind.

Whether describing the happy days of his youth or lamenting over the burden his disease has placed upon his loved ones, DeBaggio manages to inspire the reader with his ability to function, to think, and ultimately to survive. By turns an autobiography, a medical history, and a book of meditations, Losing My Mind is a testament to the splendor of memory and a triumphant celebration of the human spirit.Amazon.com Review
This first-person account of Alzheimer's ties several powerful stories together. Losing My Mind blends personal history with the fear and pain of developing the disease at the age of 57; it is both a sadly fascinating account of Alzheimer's progression and an attempt for the writer to remember his past before it is gone for good.

While his history is recounted in chronological order, these memories--of his childhood; marriage to his wife, Joyce; their years in writing and politics; his passion for herbs and the growing of a successful business--are interspersed with unrelated musings on everything from his cat's sudden deafness to losing his wallet. Clips from articles on Alzheimer's research are sprinkled around, and statistics like the $174,000 that a patient spends on the disease over a lifetime are sobering. Throughout the book, he clearly speaks of his diagnosis as a "sentence"; the lack of a cure is dwelt on in many sections, and a story about an accidental overdose of his prescriptions is particularly grim.

This is not a book that supplies any "power of positive thinking" messages, but instead shows the daily struggle of a man coming to terms with a terrible disease. Poignant and thoughtful, DeBaggio's life will hold meaning for anyone who has been touched by Alzheimer's. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

good book from a good seller
The book is in excellent condition.It shipped right away & I was notified.I received it in short order.The picture was helpful as well as being able to read parts inside the book.

A realistic view of what it is like to have dementia
This was a book that was kind of hard to read at times because it was written by an individual who actually had Alzheimer's. However if you really want to see how the individual themselves are affected by the disease this is a good book to try to read.

Losing My Mind Review
While this book was informative and gave important and current facts about Alzheimer's research, I found myself thinking there was no "wow" factor in this book.The author, Thomas DiBaggio, talks about an uneventful past and repeats over and over that he is having difficulty writing the novel, but there was only one point in the book where I was actually captivated by his own thoughts.The most enjoyable part was reading about the current research.The book may have been more interesting if it had been attempted in the later stages of Alzheimer's because, at this stage in his disease, this book made DiBaggio seem like a depressed man, with a mild memory impairment.I do commend him though for attempting to write this novel during this difficult time in his life, I just felt that his writing was not entirely captivating.

Losing My Mind
This book is a look at life from the viewpoint of an individual diagnosed with early onset alzheimer's and how he viewed his progression toward the final stages of the disease.It is an extremely accurate presentation of how alzheimer's slowly robs an individual of their ability to think and reason and how that impacts on the immediate family and caregivers.This review is based on my observations of my mother-in-laws progress through the disease and her passing in 1994.The final two years of her life was spent in a alzheimer's ward where she no longer recognized her own family.My wife was diagnosed with early onset alzheimers in 2002, but with proper medical follow-up and new medications the alzheimers progress was significantly slowed."Losing My Mind" was a great help in knowing what to expect and how to react.

A Story of Hell
This was the earliest, I believe, of the first-person accounts of Alzheimer's: a book triggered by a series of interviews with DeBaggio on National Public Radio, interviews which alertedmillions of people to the anguish of early-onset Alzheimer's.

The subject is inherently gripping: how does someone whose mind is dissolving--whose hippocampus is turning into gorgonzola, as one sympathetic reviewer describes his own condition--gather his wits enough to write a coherent book? Primarily, in DeBaggio's case, by relying on his mostly-intact memory of his youth and middle years, before dementia set in. (Also, to lesser effect, by inserting numerous long quotations from a Progress Report on Alzheimer's from the National Institute on Aging.)

DeBaggio has grown forgetful, as of the writing of this book, but is still much in control of his faculties. He can write, and write clearly, and wants to tell his story before he dies. His diagnosis, he explains, grabbed him by the throat: he'd been given a death sentence. But "A few days later I realized good might come of this. After forty years of pussyfooting with words, I finally had a story of hell to tell."

And stories of hell make for compelling books. Not all DeBaggio's reminiscences light up the page, and the long academic quotations sometimes break up the flow. But I perk up at this candid admission: "I have enjoyed my life but I have a nagging feeling I have not had much fun. I never slept around and got drunk; instead I read and got politicized." He looks back on his youth and sees that "struggle and hard work sapped love of life. There is no gaiety in me now, if there ever was. I am as boring as the flat cornfields of Iowa that surround the little down of Eldora where I was born."

When he writes like that, in the most personal way, he's not boring at all, but alive and tender, a man with a hell of story. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A glass-half-full look at Alzheimer’s that reveals how to connect with someone through the fog of the disease.

As many as five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. The popular perception of the disease is that people who receive an Alzheimer’s diagnosis are lost to themselves and to those who love them—and that they have no future. But as John Zeisel, an innovator in nonpharmacological approaches to treating Alzheimer’s, makes clear in this book, this view is wrong. The disease often lasts ten to fifteen years—a time span that definitely constitutes a future. In I’m Still Here, Zeisel shows that during the course of Alzheimer’s, caregivers can have a vibrant and meaningful relationship with people who have the disease.

I’m Still Here focuses on connecting with individuals with Alzheimer’s through their abilities that don’t diminish with time, such as understanding music, art, facial expressions, and touch. Zeisel demonstrates that people who have the disease are highly creative and emotionally intelligent. By harnessing these capacities, and by using other approaches to treatment—such as building memory cues into their living environment, which encourages independent movement and helps eliminate sources of frustration—it’s possible to offer them a quality life with connection to others and to the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

i'm still here
excellent understanding of what ishappening in the brain and understanding what approaches are the most productive

A wonderful book about how the arts are powerful tools to reach and interact with those living with Alztheimer's
I am an expressive arts therapist and have been working with individuals and groups with Alztheimer's for 30 years and I loved the book, I'm Still Here.Thank you Dr. Zeisel for your thoughtful research and insight into the life of those living with this challenge.I also enjoyed the Documentary, I Remember Better When I Paint.I work in some of the best assisted living and nursing homes in the Boston area and all believe that art, dance, music and drama are powerful ways to touch the hearts of these individuals.With continued research and documentation about these modalities, they will be better understood and trusted.Great job.Susan Swanson M.A.,ATR

mint condition
The book arrived in mint condition and on time as the seller stated online. I have not started reading the book so can not offer insight to the informaiton under the cover.

This mixed Bag has SomeGood Tips
This book may be helpful and appreciated by readers who don't understand the behavioral changes that the Alzheimer's victim manifests and need to be told that there is- indeed still a person in there. I use the word "victim" even though Zeisel prefers to call them "people living with Alzheimers" because Alzheimer's disease not onlypredictably produces a downward spiral toward death but changes the very essence of who the victim is- including social roles and self- care abilities such as dressing or bathing and ultimately the ability to swallow food. They are indeed victims of what might be considered one of the most terrifying diseases.

Zeisel also uses another euphemism- the word "partner" instead of "caregiver"- almost as though to minimize the devastation experienced by spouses, friends and children as they lose previoussocial relationships (especially of spouses), take onthe burden of making financial and health care decisions and endure thephysical demands of dressing, toileting and feeding another person. This is not a partnership. It is the caregiver who is responsible for finding financial assistance for home care or a facility that provides adequate care and stimulation.

I'm Still Here offers some good tips on behavioral interventions and setting up the environment to promote quality of life and decrease agitation. The Arts program as described provides the much needed social and sensory stimulation many memory impaired individuals lack. But all of this stimulation can be provided with meaningful photographs, music, familiar movie clips and other personalized sensory stimulation modalities such as smelling the familiar aroma of apple pie. I do not believe that the person whose altered brain results in inaccurate visual perceptions, loss of speech and confusion in general has increased emotional connections that makes her especially good at art appreciation, although that sounds like a very inviting concept.

People with Alzheimer's disease live in the present and they respond to loving voice and touch because-well we all do, but they are especially responsive to sensory stimulation because when they can no longer have discussions or do complex tasks- they relate through their senses rather than higher cognitive processes. Occupational therapists are health care professionals (not mentioned in the book) who specialize in evaluating the patient's cognitive, sensory and motor abilities and adapting the environment and activities according to skill levels and as a result help the person achieve the best possible quality of life. Occupational therapists can help caregivers provide the type of sensory stimulation which may or may not involve the arts- to stimulate and promote social connections.

Zeisel describes his approach to Alzheimer's disease as a glass half full and relationships between people living with alzheimer's and their "partners" as filled with many gifts.If this half full glass analogy promotes family involvement and a half empty glass perspective keeps caregivers away - please do keep filling the glass. As an occupational therapist who advocated for and stimulated her mother during her eight years of institutional living, I also had many positive experiences, including a closer relationship and knowing that I helped my mother receive the best care possible. If Zeisel's book encourages other care givers to do the same- I would consider his book a gift.
Barbara Smith, M.S., OTR/L author of Still Giving Kisses: A Guide to Helping and Enjoying the Alzheimer's Victim You Love

A book on Alzheimer's that leaves you feeling upbeat
A must read for anyone caring for a person living with Alzheimer's or other related forms of dementia. I ordered one for myself to further my understanding of the disease. After reading it I bought two more copies for the professional caregivers that live with my mother-in-law and one to pass around to others who are new to living with Alzheimer's. It's not often you read about this disease and come away feeling hopeful and upbeat. Kudos to Dr. Zeisel for blending his experiential learning and observations with relevant scientific data and research to support his thesis. My own involvement with family members substantiates the strength of emotional memories being not only intact but also accessible with appropriate cues and prompts. ... Read more