The Handholder's Handbook

According to the Alzheimer's Association, one in ten persons over 65 and nearly half of those over 85 have Alzheimer's disease. In a national survey, 19 million Americans said they knew someone who had it. But when the author found herself in the role of caregiver to her ailing husband, she could find no books that answered her practical needs: How do you give a 170-pound man a shower? How do you pick him up when he falls? What support networks are available? When is it time to consider a nursing home and how do you find one? This work covers topics such as managing the expenses of long-term care through Medicaid, estate planning, and preparing for the patient's death and the loss of someone whose daily survival has been at the centre of one's existence. The author includes a helpful list of frequently asked questions, scheduling and memory aids, and websites where readers can find resources.