Phyllis : A Beautiful Life: Forgotten

For decades the Coffin family had been lucky. They lived in nice homes in many countries with good jobs and three wonderful children. The kids attended private schools, completed college, married and found successful jobs. This all occurred under the auspices of their loving mother Phyllis, who was a mainstay and the familys moral compass. The idyllic life came crashing down just before author Raleigh Coffin and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, as Phyllis was diagnosed with dementia of the Alzheimers type.

In Phyllis, Raleigh tells the story of their personal experience with the scourge of Alzheimers from the perspective of a husband and a principal caregiver who had to confront the disease head on. He shares how the rigors of the disease took a life-changing toll on their family, their time and an incredible dispiriting impact on both their emotional and financial resources.

Raleigh provides tips on care, selection of nursing homes and approaches to the disease. He hopes this book will help others face the ordeal and avoid the snares and pitfalls he fell into during more than six intensive years of his wifes struggle with losing her memory, identity and eventually her existence.