Talking to Alzheimer's: Simple Ways to Connect When You Visit with a Family Member or Friend - Softcover

Strauss, Claudia

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1572242701 ISBN 13: 9781572242708

Publisher: New Harbinger Publications, 2002

Synopsis

Alzheimer's can have a devastating impact on a patient's close relationships and all too often, family members and friends feel so uncomfortable that they end up dreading visits, or simply give up trying to stay in contact with the patient. This book offers a wealth of practical things you can do to stay connected with the Alzheimer's patient in your life. It offers straightforward suggestions and invaluable do's and don'ts, with advice on everything from dealing effectively with the inevitable repetition that occurs in conversations with an Alzheimer's patient to helpful strategies for saying no to unrealistic demands. It also includes thoughtful tips to remind you to take care of your own feelings and suggestions for helping children become comfortable with visiting an Alzheimer's sufferer.

About this title

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

From the Inside Flap

Learn the tools for effective, meaningful, and mutually rewarding communication with the person with Alzheimer's in your life.

"Talking to Alzheimer's is quite remarkable: sensitive and tender in its tone but also shrewd and useful. The whole book has this tenacious emphasis on genuine respectfulness; it all rings true and is written with so much informed respect for the loved person. I think it's a wise and lovely little book and I'm grateful to Claudia for writing it." - Jonathan Kozol, Alzheimer's family member and author of "Savage Inequalities, Amazing Grace", and "Ordinary Resurrections."

"This is clearly written and comprehensive book that addresses the common and uncommon issues that arise in caring for someone with Alzheimer disease. It is practical and never condescends. I highly recommend it to anyone who has a loved one suffering from dementia." - Peter V. Rabins, M.D. Professor of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and author of "The 36-Hour Day." "I was so taken with this practical and warm approach to visiting and creating enjoyable and meaningful times with loved ones. Visiting is clearly recognized as an issue?and some families become so disappointed and disheartened that they stop coming. This targeted, doable book helps people come to terms with that they can really do." - Betty Ransom, Director of Education and Training for the National Capital Area Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association

"Talking to Alzheimer's is a winner and I know it will strike a resounding chord with anyone who has been there. Strauss' fresh, resourceful approach helps us find meaning and a spiritual connection when visiting, and puts words in our mouths that change the experience of visiting and being visited." -Lisa P. Gwyther, M.S.W., Director, Family Support Program, Duke University Center for Aging, founding member of the Alzheimer's Association.

About this edition

• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1572242701
• ISBN 13: 9781572242708
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192