Dementia Memoir

At the age of 53, Tony walks away from a life of journalism and into an unknown future dogged by self-doubt and financial worry. June is 48 years old then, a writer and a teacher, and over the following nine years she watches as her husband gradually changes - in interests, goals, and behavior - until Tony has a sudden fall, ending their life as they have known it.

Mary Lou Falcone takes listeners on a cathartic journey of caregiving that is filled with hope, laughter, and tears. At the age of ten, Mary Lou's life was forever changed when her father had a severe stroke that took away his ability to speak. While her mother worked three jobs, Mary Lou cared for not only her father but two younger siblings. Echoes of her childhood challenge return when she later faces the biggest test of her life: her soulmate of forty-seven years, the artist Nicky Zann, is diagnosed with the little-known disease Lewy body dementia, which ultimately claims his life.

This is the story of Carolyn’s mother, her dementia, and how they navigated her journey together. Your loved one may not force feed stuffed animals vanilla pudding or burn their neighbor’s mail like Fay did, but if you’re living through the sad realities of your loved one’s slow and tortuous farewell, this book will help you find solace as you deal with it realistically and with a heart at peace.

Leaving London to return home to rural South Wales, Robyn finds that it's her old life - same teddy bears resting on her pillow, their bodies tucked under the duvet; same view of the garages behind which she'd had her first cigarette and first kiss - but so much has changed. Her dad, the proud, charmingly intelligent self-made man who made people laugh, was in the grip of early onset Alzheimer's. His brilliant mind, which saw him building power stations and literally bringing light into the lives of others, had succumbed to darkness.

What do you do when your reality slips away? If you're Sky Yardley and Jane Dwinell, you accept each new challenge, reshape your life, and write. When Sky was diagnosed with "probable early stage Alzheimer's" at age 66, he was determined to live as fully as possible. He researched dementia, talked about dementia, connected with other people with the disease, and wrote about it.

In Not How It Was Supposed to Be, author Allison Crabtree takes a poignant look at her mom's obsessive and eccentric life, and the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship fraught with tension and disappointment.

Regarded as one of the finest journalists of her generation, Mamie Baird Magnusson's whole life was a celebration of words - words that she fought to retain in the grip of a disease which is fast becoming the scourge of the 21st century. Married to writer and broadcaster Magnus Magnusson, they had five children of whom Sally is the eldest.

I Will Never Forget is the powerful true story of the author Elaine’s talented mother's extraordinary journey through Dementia. Through superb stories from Elaine’s childhood, including her controversial name, tales of smokin’ dragons, and the feisty teenage years, Betty Ward’s wonderful character is revealed. Over time, as their relationship evolves and a new paradigm is formed, her mother begins to exhibit goofy behaviors, uncharacteristic verbal assaults, and bizarre thinking.

In Remembering the Music, Forgetting the Words, Kate Whouley strips away the romantic veneer of mother-daughter love to bare the toothed and tough reality of caring for a parent who is slowly losing her mind. Yet, this is not a dark or dour look at the demon of Alzheimer’s. Whouley shares the trying, the tender, and the sometimes hilarious moments in meeting the challenge also known as Mom.

In 2003, England won the Rugby World Cup. Steve Thompson was there, in England's front row, at the heart of the match and at the heart of the scrum—one of sport's most destructive, repetitive impacts. But the triumphs came at a cost. When rugby union turned professional, Steve was plunged into a game where raw power meant everything. Today, he remembers nothing about playing in that final. In his words, watching the tape back is like watching a ghost.

Happily married and running a successful business, Peter Berry's life changed when, at the age of 50, he was given a terminal diagnosis of early-onset dementia. Since that day, he has learned to live with his very own 'dementia monster'. From depression and suicide attempts through to his determination to confront his dementia, Peter has embarked on a series of challenges to show that 'life isn't over with dementia, it's just a little different'.

Betty Jane Bredbenner—BJ to her art clients—was an intelligent, healthy woman and a loving wife and mother. From raising five children to running an ER to cultivating a successful career as an artist, it seemed like she would live forever. Until one day, she took a spill while jogging with her dog, Buddy. What seemed at first like a relatively simple injury followed by a quick recovery actually marked BJ’s first step on her journey with dementia.

A "courageous and singular book" (Andrew Solomon), Memory's Last Breath is an unsparing, beautifully written memoir -- "an intimate, revealing account of living with dementia" (Shelf Awareness). Based on the "field notes" she keeps in her journal, Memory's Last Breath is Gerda Saunders'...

After a near fatal stroke in 1995, Robert McCrum has gained an intimate understanding of his own mortality. Twenty-two years on, his friends have joined him in experiencing Prospero's 'every third thought' of death as a dominating theme of life. McCrum asks: can we make peace with what Freud calls 'the necessity of dying'? Searching for answers leads him to brain surgeons, psychologists, cancer patients and writers for advice and wisdom.

When my wife Cheryl saw what I was doing, she asked me to chronicle our almost 30-year journey through Alzheimer's. As I began to write and post blogs of the trip, it became apparent that I had a love of writing and an audience for our story. I soon developed a large following, and the blog almost took on a life of its own. The blog has morphed into much more than I ever dreamed. From the comments and feedback I received on many posts, it became apparent that I needed to try and turn this into a book. Many people battling this disease and being caregivers need to know they are not alone.

In diesem bewegenden Buch teilt die Autorin ihre persönlichen Erinnerungen und Erlebnisse aus den letzten Jahren mit ihrer Mutter. Liliana gewährt uns tiefe Einblicke in ihr Familienleben, die ersten Anzeichen der Krankheit und die intensiven, schmerzhaften Erinnerungen, die sie für immer begleiten werden.

Into the Mist is a powerful love story that contains important lessons for general listeners as well as caregivers. The compelling narrative carries us through the unexpected ordeal of coping with the worsening signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. No listener will take anything for granted ever again. Lena's decline and Paul's devotion will leave us saddened but inspired as the couple manages to live from one moment of joy to the next. After listening to the book, we understand that death is not the end; it is the beginning of something mysterious and wonderful.

Mama Is Still Here! is a true story of an educated and accomplished African American woman who was raised in the state of Mississippi between the 1940s and 1960s. Daisy: a wife, mother, and everyone's favorite sister, aunt, and friend is admired for her swagger and confidence. But she finds her life spiraling out of control because of impaired memory lapses due to Alzheimer's disease. The devastating diagnosis crushed Daisy and her husband's world, and the world of their adult children.

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."