There Is Hope . . . When a patient is diagnosed with dementia, it impacts not only the patient but also those who care for them. It can be devastating to watch loved ones lose the independence, personality, and abilities that once defined them, knowing there is no cure. How should Christians respond to a diagnosis of dementia? Experienced geriatrician Dr. John Dunlop wants to transform the way we view dementia—showing us how God can be honored through such a tragedy as we respect the inherent dignity of all humans made in the image of God. Sharing stories from decades of experience with dementia patients, Dunlop provides readers, particularly caregivers, with a biblical lens through which to understand the experience and challenge of this life-altering disease. Finding Grace in the Face of Dementia will help you see God's purposes as you love and care for those with dementia.
Winner of the Michael Ramsay Prize 2016 Dementia is one of the most feared diseases in Western society today. Some have even gone so far as to suggest euthanasia as a solution to the perceived indignity of memory loss and the disorientation that accompanies it. Here, John Swinton develops a practical theology of dementia for caregivers, people with dementia, ministers, hospital chaplains, and medical practitioners as he explores two primary questions: • Who am I when I’ve forgotten who I am? • What does it mean to love God and be loved by God when I have forgotten who God is? Offering compassionate and carefully considered theological and pastoral responses to dementia and forgetfulness, Swinton’s Dementia redefines dementia in light of the transformative counter story that is the gospel.
For the weary dementia or Alzheimer's caregiver If you are a caregiver to someone with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia, you carry a heavy load. On top of having to watch someone you love suffer, you are probably losing sleep, growing frustrated, and struggling with loneliness or even depression. With little to no help and no time for a break, this unrelenting stress is hard to carry. Whether that’s you or someone you know, the caregiver needs care, too. Grace for the Unexpected Journey: A 60-Day Devotional for Alzheimer’s and Other Dementia Caregivers provides that support. Each daily devotion: Is short, ideal for demanding schedules Reflects on a relevant Scripture passage Features a relatable caregiving story Offers a key Scripture for meditation Debbie Barr is a speaker, health educator, and the author of multiple books, including Keeping Love Alive As Memory Fades (coauthored with New York Times bestselling author Gary Chapman). As a health educator with a deep concern and compassion for dementia caregivers, she saw their need for faith-based encouragement. With compassion and understanding she uses Scriptures to address their practical hardships and spiritual concerns. When the struggles seem insurmountable, this devotional offers strength. When stress floods in, it points to peace. And when darkness falls, it illuminates hope. Caregivers walk a long, difficult road. This devotional gives grace for their journey.
Under the influence of declining birth rates, expanding longevity, and changing population structures around the world, the global prevalence of senile dementia is expected to increase more than four-fold within the next forty years. Within the United States alone, the number of affected individuals over the age of 65 is expected to rise exponentially from 8 million cases (2% of the entire population in the year 2000), to 18 million retirees (roughly 4.5% of the national census in the year 2040). Although they are striking, these statistics quite likely underestimate the scope of the coming epidemic, as they fail to consider the impact of under-diagnosis, early-onset disease, and the potential for a changing incidence of illness in the context of increasingly toxic environments. In the face of this imminent crisis, concerned observers have called for policies and practices which aim to prevent, limit, or reverse dementia. Drug-Induced Dementia: A Perfect Crime is a timely resource which reveals why and how medical treatments themselves - specifically, psychopharmaceuticals - are a substantial cause of brain degeneration and premature death. A first-of-its-kind resource for patients and clinicians, the book integrates research findings from epidemiology (observational studies of patients in the "real world"), basic biology (animal experiments), and clinical science (neuroimaging and autopsy studies) in order to demonstrate the dementing and deadly effects of psychiatric drugs. Highlighted by more than 100 neuroimages, slides of tissue specimens, and illustrations, the book uniquely describes: the societal roots of the problem (target organ toxicity, regulatory incompetence, and performativity) the subtypes and essential causes of dementia the patterns, prevalence, and causes of dementia associated with antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, and stimulants and the actions and reforms which patients, providers, and policy makers might immediately pursue, in an effort to mitigate the causes and consequences of this iatrogenic tragedy.
This is the first book to explore, through personal accounts and vignettes, the rare moments of humor that unexpectedly pop up during the caregiving of people suffering from Alzheimer''s and related dementia. Young brings the courageous experiences of care providers and relatives to life as they encounter the challenges of dealing with these seriously afflicted patients. At the same time she reveals the touching and gently humorous moments that go a long way to ease the tension and pain. While respectful of the plight of affected families and patients, Young gathers a timeless collection of "fear busters" that "access mirth" with touching chapters such as "Please Don''t Eat the Marigold," and "I''ve Just Found Out I''m in Baltimore." "By staring the Alzheimer''s monster down and even laughing a little in the face of it," Young says, "we bolster our courage and release the chemicals (endorphins) in ourselves to gain a sense of well-being in the face of adversity." A must for all caregivers and families, this is truly a book that, once started, cannot be put down.
'Finding the Light in Dementia: a guide for families, friends and caregivers' is an essential book that explains common changes that can occur in those living with dementia. By offering valuable approaches, tips and suggestions interspersed with individuals' stories, the reader can learn to care for and maintain a connection with their loved one (care partner). Whether you're a spouse, partner, daughter, son, sibling, friend or even a parent caring for a loved one living with dementia, this book is for you. Finding the Light in Dementia will help give you more confidence to care by: Supporting you through your partner's diagnosis of dementia Helping you understand what your partner is experiencing Teaching you ways to communicate and connect with each other Helping you make subtle changes to your home to help your partner feel safe and content Introducing practical and creative ways to stimulate memories to help with day to day living Showing you how to create lifestories together Suggesting ways to keep your partner interested and engaged in meaningful activities Providing tips for sleeping, eating and drinking Suggesting ways to help your partner with their appearance and dignity Showing you ways of overcoming the challenges of changing behaviour, reactions and responses Helping reduce the effects of hallucinations, delusions and misperceptions Suggesting ways for you to care for yourself Involving families and friends Giving advice when considering professional care at home and in residential care Knowing how tired and stressed you may feel, 'Finding the Light in Dementia' is written in bite sized chunks that makes it easy to follow. By giving you space to write down any points you would like to make and providing question sheets for you to refer to when speaking with your doctor and/or legal professionals you can make this your personal guide. When following the approaches in this book, you should find that your partner will feel more understood and you will become calmer thereby helping you both find a sense of connection and continue to live well.
At first, Ken Abraham wrote off his mother's changes in behavior as quirks that just come with old age. There was memory loss, physical decline, hygiene issues, paranoia, and uncharacteristic attitudes. He soon realized that dementia had changed her life—and his familiy's—forever. "How is it possible to lose a loved one while he or she is still living, still sitting right in front of you, talking with you, smiling at you—and yet the person you have known and loved for years is somehow gone?" According to the Alzheimer's Association, an estimated 5.4 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer's disease. That's one in eight older Americans. More than likely, that figure includes someone you know and love. As he chronicles his own mother's degenerative condition, New York Times best-selling writer Ken Abraham educates while offering inspiration to help readers cope with and manage their family circumstances. With humor and spiritual reminders of God's command to honor our parents, Abraham encourages readers through often-difficult responsibilities. And though in most cases patients will not recover this side of heaven, he suggests many practical things that families can do to make the experience safer, kinder, and more endurable for everyone involved. When Your parent Becomes Your Child tells the story of one family's journey through dementia while offering hope to family members and friends, that they might better understand the effects of the disease. Dont let this catch you by surprise—be informed before you face the challenges and difficulties of a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia. This book can help.
There is hope in Alzheimer's disease, but it isn't where most people look for it... Any form of dementia is terrifying and lonely for both the one suffering it and for those close to them. How do our relationships with those we love change with loss of memory or clarity of thought? What happens to our relationship with God? For those suffering from early-stage Alzheimer's, for their friends and family, community and church, this book will help you understand the disease itself, how to love and care for those affected by it, and how to see the hope that's greater than it: we may forget, but God always remembers. With pastoral tenderness and gospel confidence, Dr. Benjamin Mast shares his expertise on the subject and displays the power of the gospel that remains intact even when memory fades. Second Forgetting provides: Up-to-date answers to common questions about the disease and its effect on personal identity and faith. Personal stories of those affected and the loved ones who care for them and what their experiences were like—where they found hope and how they most needed support. Practical suggestions for how the church can come alongside families and those struggling or hurting. When a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, they face great uncertainty, knowing that they can expect to live their remaining years with increasing confusion and progressively greater reliance upon other people to care for them. Dr. Mast will help you see how Alzheimer's disease cannot have the final say on God's unforgotten children.
Rarely does one get an opportunity to experience the nightmare that is Alzheimers Disease from the perspective of the person who has been stricken with it. In his book, While I Still Can, Rick Phelps, the founder of Memory People, an online Alzheimers and dementia support group, changes all of that. Diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimers Disease in his 50's, Rick decided it was time the veil was lifted. Throughout this book the reader is given a firsthand account of: the early signs that Rick experienced, the loneliness he felt during the denial period of family and friends, the terror that gripped his heart upon receiving the undeniable diagnosis and, after the diagnosis, how he and his loved ones have learned to cope with this mind robbing and fatal disease. A real page turner, While I Still Can, affords an uncommon glimpse into the world of memory loss, while at the same time it tells the story of love, commitment, faith and courage in the face of a catastrophic disease.
With more than 5 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer's disease and nearly 10 million loved ones caring for them, addressing the concerns of these elders and their caregivers is a matter of increasing importance. Relying on their many years of experience in this area, Jane Thibault and Richard Morgan offer this book to provide a fresh, hopeful model of dealing with life and death in the realm of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Caregivers have two basic needs: affirmation that caregiving is not in vain and reassurance that the lives of those for whom they care are not being lived in vain. Care receivers need more than medical attention; they need tender care, involvement in the community, and a sense of connection with a loving God. When patient and caregiver regard this shared experience as a "mutual spiritual path," each plays a role in deepening the spiritual life of the other. No Act of Love Is Ever Wasted is an excellent resource for individuals caring for loved ones as well as for counselors, support group leaders, pastors, and other professionals. In addition to offering practical ways to help, this book serves as a reminder that every act of love brings positive transformation to the recipient, to the giver, and to the world.
