Dementia and Harry

This book is about Harry, a man who lived a fascinating and charmed life, and it describes how he was affected by dementia. Harry used to say, Paul, I was born lucky. I ve been lucky all my life! and in many ways this was true. After the German invasion of Poland, Harry was forced into the German Army and of the 36 boys in his class at school, 33 died at Stalingrad. Harry was one of very few men who fought in both the German and British armies in World War II and he somehow came out of it alive, against all the odds. But Harry s luck finally ran out when he was diagnosed with dementia, a disease that our society is poorly prepared for. Had I known then what I know now about dementia, then the burden of caring for Harry would have been so much easier to carry. So this book describes Harry s life, but it also gives a comprehensive insight into the various forms of dementia and what to expect, which will be very helpful for anyone who is caring for a loved one with this disease.