The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for Persons with Alzheimer Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss in Later Life

"I welcome with enthusiasm the third edition of this book for families and friends of patients with dementing illnesses. It has served well in its prior appearances and should accomplish even more with this edition."―Paul R. McHugh, M.D., in the foreword

Through two editions, this best-selling book has remained the "bible" for families who are giving care to people with Alzheimer disease. The 36-Hour Day has offered comfort and support to millions of people in North America and, in translations and adapted editions, throughout the rest of the world. For this third edition, the authors have retained the structure, scope, and purpose of the original book, while thoroughly updating chapters to reflect the latest medical research and the current delivery of care.

Topics that have been added or extensively revised include: Updated terminology and statistics • New material on the evaluation of persons with dementia • Updated changes in laws on driving • A new section on hospice care • New information on assisted living facilities and financing care • Information on other types of dementia • The latest findings on eating and nutrition • New medical research in areas such as drugs, genetics, and diagnostic tests. The revised appendices include: New bibliographic references • websites • Updated addresses of associations and state offices.

Praise for previous editions:

"The best guide of its kind."― Chicago Sun Times

"An excellent book for families who are caring for persons with dementia... A book that physicians can confidently recommend to the families of their patients."― Journal of the American Medical Association

"Excellent guidance and clear information of a kind that the family needs... The authors offer the realistic advice that sometimes it is better to concede the patient's frailties than to try to do something about them, and that a compassionate sense of humor often helps."― New York Times

"An excellent, practical manual for families and professionals involved in the care of persons with progressive illnesses... The book is specific and thought-provoking, and it will be helpful to anyone even remotely involved with an 'impaired' person... Highly recommended, especially for public and nursing libraries."― Library Journal

" The 36-Hour Day has served its readers well. The revised edition should be even more useful both to family caregivers and professional health care providers."― HMO Practice

"The reader who is familiar with the first edition will recognize the strengths that continue in the revised edition―numerous case examples, practical advice, thoroughness of coverage, and communication of caring and humane attitudes while presenting information that may be sensitive and upsetting to families."― Clinical Gerontologist

Nancy L. Mace, M.A., now retired, was a consultant to and a member of the board of directors of the Alzheimer's Association and an assistant in psychiatry and coordinator of the T. Rowe and Eleanor Price Teaching Service of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Peter V. Rabins, M.D., M.P.H., is a professor of psychiatry, with joint appointments in medicine, mental hygiene, and health policy and management, director of the geriatric neuropsychiatry section, and director of the T. Rowe and Eleanor Price Teaching Service of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.