Dementia in the Family (eBook)

PROLOGUE
1 – WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
Lee describes the disease in a way that most people can understand.
2 – ALZHEIMER’S VERSUS NORMAL AGING
Lee provides a questionnaire to see if your loved one is aging naturally or further
steps should be taken.
3 – OTHER DEMENTIA TYPES
Lee describes other forms of dementia.
4 – MY MOTHER AND SIGNS OF DEMENTIA
Lee introduces her mother and her many talents.
She shares how her mother’s dementia started to show its face and affect their lives.
5 – LIVING OPTIONS FOR SENIORS
Lee discusses whether care outside the home is required and what types of in-
home care are available.
6 – AND THE WINNER IS
Lee discusses her decision to put her mother in an assisted living environment
and all the accompanying emotions.
7 – THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY EXPERIENCE
Lee shares her experiences and the steps involved with putting her mother into
long-term care.
8 – THE END FOR MY MOTHER
How Lee’s mother’s life ended and the emotions associated with her death (and
feeling that she had been “gone” long before her physical end).
9 – OTHER MOTHERS
Humorous stories about other people and their mothers living with dementia.
10 – MY HUSBAND’S DEMENTIA
Lee introduces readers to her husband and his struggle with dementia.
11 – DECIDING TO PROVIDE FULL-TIME CARE
Behaviours that convinced Lee to retire to care for her husband.
12 – CNN – THE GOOD AND THE BAD NEWS
More elaboration on Lee’s husband’s behaviours.
His obsession with CNN.
13 – FUNNY BUT TRUE
Examples of how travelling with a person with dementia can have its own unique
problems and interesting outcomes.
A few more anecdotes since Lee’s husband has progressed through the stages of dementia.
How to view these events with a sense of humour and compassion.
14 – DAY PROGRAM ADVENTURES
Whether a day program will work for you and your loved one.
How Lee tried to make the day program work for her husband.
15 – WHAT DEMENTIA HAS TAUGHT ME
Lee’s personal reflections and reactions to dementia.
16 – WHAT I AM DOING ABOUT DEMENTIA?
A call to action to spread the word about what she has done and seen.
She provides information for others and hopefully for future research.
17 – SELF CARE
The importance of “putting on your own oxygen mask” before assisting others.
How to recognize the signs of stress in yourself and what steps you should take to address them.
18 – EPILOGUE
APPENDIX – QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN LOOKING FOR LONG-TERM CARE