I read so many great dementia, bereavement, and caregiving books that I think could really help people, but I keep forgetting to review them here! So I'm going to try to review regularly some of the books I've thought were definitely worth the time to read.
I just finished Dementia: The Journey Ahead by Susan Kiser Scarff and her sister Ann Kiser Zultner. For those of you on social media, you may have located and Liked her page. A lot of people post on her page asking for assistance and information and she re-posts their messages in an effort to get them some answers.
The book is a chronicle of her experiences caring for her husband, who had a form of frontotemporal dementia, leading to behavioral issues and increasing health problems. The type of dementia Susan's husband had sounds just exhausting, both for her and for him, and it sounds like she had to be on her toes at all times to keep him safe. In plain language, she describes his behaviors and symptoms and strategies that she and their permanent aide developed to help manage and distract him.
Susan is honest about her feelings about giving care and about some of the ways she might do it differently; including better self-care and getting more help. It is obvious she loved her husband very much and was dedicated to giving him the best life possible.
The book is laid out quite simply, from diagnosis to death, so it didn't take much time or a great deal of effort to read and follow and glean helpful information. She lists resources throughout the book and in the back, as well as helpful hints and tips.
This is a poignant story, told simply and well; mostly memoir, but packed with a lot of really good information and useful strategies. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I hope you enjoy it, too!
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