Alzheimer's: A Caregiver's Story By Pete Noyes on December 26, 2012 Format: Paperback Verified Purchase. Five of Five Stars. This book should be required reading for anyone over the age of 60. It will also prove extremely useful for younger people with aging parents most vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease. The book is a first hand account by Robert Bublitz who sacrificed a successful career in the electronics industry to become the primary caregiver of his mother, Olive, once she was stricken with Alzheimer's. The book is very well written and has all the trappings of a medical or scientific journal while, at the same time, documenting an extremely emotional and heartbreaking story that is becoming more commonplace every year with America's rapidly aging population. The author points out that nearly half of those who reach 85 are stricken with Alzheimer's while at 65 the figure is just 5 per cent, a quantum leap in a relatively short span of one's lifetime. Particularly insightful is the author's description of the four stages of of dementia which may be followed by the three stages of Alzheimer's and how his mother coped with each one of those periods. The book is filled with a plethora of useful information dealing with research centers, assisted living facilities, medical care, insurance coverage and just about everything else you need to know in coping with this dreaded disease.I recommend it most highly. Pete Noyes, author "The Real L.A. Confidential" and "Legacy of Doubt," and CBS and NBC News executive. What Family Members Should Know About Caregiving for Alzheimers Patients By Richard Smith on December 2, 2012 Format: Paperback Verified Purchase. Four of Five Stars. In this one book, the author has really written three kinds of books, a caregiver's diary, a caregiver's handbook, and an Alzheimer's disease reference guide. As a diary this book is remarkable. It carefully records in words, numbers, and pictures the physical and emotional changes that were experienced by the sick mother and the caregiver son as the mother's Alzheimer's disease ("AD") took its toll on both. One clearly demonstrated message is that family-member caregivers for AD patients are highly susceptible to overload, and that if overload happens the caregiver's health and ability to serve may be seriously impacted. As a caregiver's handbook, the subjects include choosing health care providers and facilities, navigating Medicaid and Veterans' benefits, sorting out different types of senior care facilities, and understanding AD treatments and medicines. This family's choices and reasoning in these areas are presented inconsiderable detail. There is perhaps not enough acknowledgement, however, that every family is unique in their priorities, needs, capabilities and available resources, and that a completely different set of solutions could work best for others.As an Alzheimer's reference, this book is well researched and documented. In describing his mother's symptoms, the author/caregiver does a good job of connecting technical knowledge about the disease to the real life situation. This might be as good a reference guide on AD as a layman could have developed at the time. That is no small accomplishment considering the complexity of the disease and the extensive work that is underway to unlock its mysteries. This son was willing and able to make a complete personal commitment to taking care of his AD-afflicted mother. He poured himself into this task. He learned what he needed to know, much of it the hard way. And after she passed, he resolved to make available his experience and knowledge to others that they may have an easier time of this kind of situation. The book is unique and a significant contribution. |