By William Harris, BS ’64 (political science), MS ’65 (political science)

Care-giving for Alzheimer's: A Personal JourneyThe stress of care-giving is a major concern for someone whose loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s. This book will provide an overview of the issues confronting the caregiver, the impact of the diagnosis on the caregiver, and the resources available to help the caregiver survive this stressful role. This book discusses coping strategies for the patient and caregiver after the diagnosis, and specific issues typically to be discussed between the caregiver, the loved one, a lawyer and a financial planner. These may include advanced directives, end-of-life choices and ethical issues, changes to a will or trust, and strategies for dealing with medical expenses. This book is based on lessons learned from personal experience helping and supporting a loved one go through the stages of Alzheimer’s, facilitating three support groups for caregivers over a 3-year period, and teaching a class on care-giving at OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon.

Amazon, December 2019