September 21st is World Alzheimer's Day. Here are some titles for caregivers, patients, and general understanding.
Non-Fiction:
The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias by Nancy L. Mace & Peter V. Rabins - Book | eBook
"For 40 years, The 36-Hour Day has been the leading work in the field for caregivers of those with dementia. Written by experts with decades of experience caring for individuals with memory loss, Alzheimer's, and other dementias, the book is widely known for its authoritativeness and compassionate approach to care. Featuring everything from the causes of dementia to managing its early stages to advice on caring for those in the later stages of the disease, it is widely considered to be the most detailed and trusted book available." -From the Publisher
Understanding Alzheimer's: An Introduction for Patients and Caregivers by Naheed Ali
"Although every day we read news reports linking health problems to diet and lifestyle, there remains significant confusion regarding the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Worldwide, more than 35 million people are currently suffering from Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to increase substantially over the next decade.Understanding Alzheimer’s introduces readers to the inner workings of Alzheimer’s, how the disease progresses, and what patients and caregivers can do to live with the disease. Following the astonishing path sufferers take from being sharp-minded to cognitively impaired, the book reveals how patients and their loved ones can cope with its mental, physical, and economic effects. Dr. Naheed Ali sifts through the information currently available on Alzheimer’s to clearly and accessibly illustrate how Alzheimer’s works, how we can prevent it, and how we can address it once symptoms begin to appear. Covering diet and lifestyle, medical interventions and the stages of Alzheimer’s, he draws readers into a fuller understanding of the disease. Providing an accessible starting point for anyone wishing to learn more about Alzheimer’s, this book will prove to be an indispensable resource." -From the Publisher
Floating in the Deep End: How Caregivers Can See Beyond Alzheimer's by Patti Davis
"When her father, the fortieth president of the United States, announced his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in an address to the American public in 1994, the world had not yet begun speaking about this cruel, mysterious disease. Yet overnight, Ronald Reagan and his immediate family became the face of Alzheimer’s, and Davis, once content to keep her family at arm’s length, quickly moved across the country to be present during “the journey that would take [him] into the sunset of [his] life.” Empowered by all she learned from caring for her father―about the nature of the illness, but also about the loss of a parent―Davis founded a support group for the family members and friends of Alzheimer’s patients. Along with a medically trained cofacilitator, she met with hundreds of exhausted and devastated attendees to talk through their pain and confusion. While Davis was aware that her own circumstances were uniquely fortunate, she knew there were universal truths about dementia, and even surprising gifts to be found in a long goodbye. With Floating in the Deep End, Davis draws on a welter of experiences to provide a singular account of battling Alzheimer’s. Eloquently woven with personal anecdotes and helpful advice tailored specifically for the overlooked caregiver, this essential guide covers every potential stage of the disease from the initial diagnosis through the ultimate passing and beyond. Including such tips as how to keep a loved one hygienic, and careful responses for when they drift to a time gone by, Davis always stresses the emotional milestones that come with slow-burning grief. Along the way, Davis shares how her own fractured family came together. With unflinching candor, she recalls when her mother, Nancy, who for decades could not show her children compassion or vulnerability, suddenly broke down in her arms. Davis also offers tender moments in which her father, a fabled movie star whom she always longed to know better, revealed his true self―always kind, even when he couldn’t recognize his own daughter." -From the Publisher
Like Falling Through a Cloud: A Lyrical Memoir of Coping with Forgetfulness, Confusion, and a Dreaded Diagnosis by Eugenia Zukerman
"What if the dreaded world of Alzheimer's was also a world of emotional discovery? Eugenia Zukerman's poetry and simple prose, both heartbreaking and ultimately inspirational, ushers the listener into her world as she unflinchingly examines familial loyalties, moments from her past and present, and the need to face an uncertain future due to the diagnosis of a condition that she truly hopes "will remain unnamed." Flutist, writer, artistic director of major music series, television journalist, educator, and internet entrepreneur, Zukerman addresses her "lapses and losses" as she confronts and deals with a future under the shadow of her Alzheimer's diagnosis. Touching, honest, and fearlessly heartfelt, Like Falling Through a Cloud recounts Zukerman's discovery, consultations, and diagnosis, all while navigating the death of her 103-year-old mother, a performance at the Kennedy Center, and the consolidation of her life via a full-time move to upstate New York. As she finds strength in family love, self-examination, and the enduring power of creating music, Zukerman teaches us the importance of living in the now, while accepting that what comes next may remain a mystery."
In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom - Book | Large Print | eBook | eAudiobook
"Amy Bloom began to notice changes in her husband, Brian: He retired early from a new job he loved; he withdrew from close friendships; he talked mostly about the past. Suddenly, it seemed there was a glass wall between them, and their long walks and talks stopped. Their world was altered forever when an MRI confirmed what they could no longer ignore: Brian had Alzheimer’s disease. Forced to confront the truth of the diagnosis and its impact on the future he had envisioned, Brian was determined to die on his feet, not live on his knees. Supporting each other in their last journey together, Brian and Amy made the unimaginably difficult and painful decision to go to Dignitas, an organization based in Switzerland that empowers a person to end their own life with dignity and peace. In this heartbreaking and surprising memoir, Bloom sheds light on a part of life we so often shy away from discussing—its ending. Written in Bloom’s captivating, insightful voice and with her trademark wit and candor, In Love is an unforgettable portrait of a beautiful marriage, and a boundary-defying love." -From the Publisher
Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementias by Dr. Jonathon Graff-Radford M.D. & Angela M. Lunde M.A.
"It can be terrifying to witness a loved one’s cognitive decline. But for millions of families around the world, that fear becomes reality year after year. Researchers estimate that more than 150 million people around the world could be living with dementia by 2050. While there is currently no known cure for dementia, Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias combines the latest research on preventive methods, current treatment options, and advice for living well with dementia, to help those affected by the disease. Traditionally, very little has been known about Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementias. But recent advances in medical research shine a light on information previously unknown about these debilitating diseases. In the seventh edition of Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, expert neurologists from the Mayo Clinic organize this new research into a thorough and digestible guidebook that provides caregivers with the most up-to-date information regarding the disease. The book presents a comprehensive look at the typical symptoms associated with dementia, current findings regarding common causes of the disease, and gives essential tips for managing the day-to-day challenges of caring for someone with dementia." -From the Publisher
Alzheimer's: Every Minute Counts - DVD | Streaming on Kanopy | Streaming on Hoopla
"An urgent wake-up call about the national threat posed by Alzheimer's disease. Many know the unique tragedy of this disease, but few know that Alzheimer's is also a major and rapidly growing public health crisis. This documentary powerfully illuminates the social consequences for America unless a medical breakthrough is discovered for this currently incurable disease."
Fiction:
Morningside Heights by Joshua Henkin - Book | eBook | eAudiobook
"When Ohio-born Pru Steiner arrives in New York in 1976, she follows in a long tradition of young people determined to take the city by storm. But when she falls in love with and marries Spence Robin, her hotshot young Shakespeare professor, her life takes a turn she couldn’t have anticipated. Thirty years later, something is wrong with Spence. The Great Man can’t concentrate; he falls asleep reading The New York Review of Books. With their daughter, Sarah, away at medical school, Pru must struggle on her own to care for him. One day, feeling especially isolated, Pru meets a man, and the possibility of new romance blooms. Meanwhile, Spence’s estranged son from his first marriage has come back into their lives. Arlo, a wealthy entrepreneur who invests in biotech, may be his father’s last, best hope. Morningside Heights is a sweeping and compassionate novel about a marriage surviving hardship. It’s about the love between women and men, and children and parents; about the things we give up in the face of adversity; and about how to survive when life turns out differently from what we thought we signed up for." -From the Publisher
The Wide Circumference of Love by Marita Golden - Book | Large Print | eBook
"Diane Tate never expected to slowly lose her talented husband to the debilitating effects of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. As a respected family court judge, she’s spent her life making tough calls, but when her sixty-eight-year-old husband’s health worsens and Diane is forced to move him into an assisted living facility, it seems her world is spinning out of control. As Gregory’s memory wavers and fades, Diane and her children must reexamine their connection to the man he once was—and learn to love the man he has become. For Diane’ daughter Lauren, it means honoring her father by following in his footsteps as a successful architect. For her son Sean, it means finding a way to repair the strained relationship with his father before it’s too late. Supporting her children in a changing landscape, Diane remains resolute in her goal to keep her family together—until her husband finds love with another resident of the facility. Suddenly faced with an uncertain future, Diane must choose a new path—and discover her own capacity for love." -From the Publisher
How Lulu Lost Her Mind by Rachel Gibson - Book | eBook | eAudiobook
"Lou Ann Hunter’s mother has always had a passionate nature, which explains why she’s been married five times and spooned enough male patients to be ousted from three elderly care facilities. She also has Alzheimer’s, which is why she wants to spend the rest of her life surrounded by childhood memories at Sutton Hall, her family’s decrepit plantation home in Louisiana. Lou Ann, a.k.a. Lulu the Love Guru, has built an empire preaching sex, love, and relationship advice to the women of America - mostly by defying the example her mother has set for her. But with her mom suddenly in need of a full-time caretaker, Lou Ann reluctantly agrees to step out of the spotlight and indulge her mother’s wishes. Upon her arrival at Sutton Hall, Lou Ann discovers that very little functions as it should - least of all her mother’s mind. And as she adjusts to this new and inevitably temporary dynamic with the help of a local handyman and a live-in nurse, she is forced to confront the reality that neither her nor her mother’s future is going according to plan." -From the Publisher
Still Alice by Lisa Genova - Book | Large Print | CD Audiobook | eBook | eAudiobook -- Also a movie: DVD | Blu-Ray
"What if every memory you've ever had will be erased from your mind, and you have no choice but to carry on...powerless to stop it?
Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At 50 years old, she's a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she begins to grow disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life - and her relationship with her family and the world - forever. At once beautiful and terrifying, this extraordinary debut novel by Lisa Genova is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People."
