"No! No!" shouted Ollie, "I don't want to go in there! That's not my grandpa; he doesn't even know who I am anymore." So begins the beautiful journey of a little boy who transitions from being scared and frustrated that his grandpa, and best friend, does not know him anymore, to a boy who learns what HE can do to reconnect with his grandpa who is living with dementia. This unforgettable story takes readers through a range of emotions, from sadness to hope, as Ollie learns how to better understand the effects of dementia experienced by his grandpa and what he can do to help hold on to his relationship and enjoy their time together. This story is a lesson for children and adults to learn to accept a loved one experiencing dementia and to celebrate the joy in the interactions they still experience together.

A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.

First published in 1996. This new book gives voice to an emerging consensus among bereavement scholars that our understanding of the grief process needs to be expanded. The dominant 20th century model holds that the function of grief and mourning is to cut bonds with the deceased, thereby freeing the survivor to reinvest in new relationships in the present. Pathological grief has been defined in terms of holding on to the deceased. Close examination reveals that this model is based more on the cultural values of modernity than on any substantial data of what people actually do. Presenting data from several populations, 22 authors - among the most respected in their fields - demonstrate that the health resolution of grief enables one to maintain a continuing bond with the deceased. Despite cultural disapproval and lack of validation by professionals, survivors find places for the dead in their on-going lives and even in their communities. Such bonds are not denial: the deceased can provide resources for enriched functioning in the present. Chapters examine widows and widowers, bereaved children, parents and siblings, and a population previously excluded from bereavement research: adoptees and their birth parents. Bereavement in Japanese culture is also discussed, as are meanings and implications of this new model of grief. Opening new areas of research and scholarly dialogue, this work provides the basis for significant developments in clinical practice in the field.

Riley loves spending time with her grandparents, but after visiting them one day, she notices Grandma doesn't recognize her. Mommy explains that Grandma may have dementia, so her memory isn't as good as it used to be. Riley tries her best to help Grandma remember and writes about their time together in her diary. This uplifting and touching story encourages young readers to support and care for the elderly with love, patience and understanding. Written as a series of diary entries, Grandma, It's Me! also encourages journaling as a way to process emotions and feelings in order to become resilient to face life's many challenges. An Activity Pack (including reading comprehension questions, project ideas, templates, coloring pages and more) is also available for download at https: //bit.ly/yychan_grandma Foreword by Teresa B.K.Tsien (Gerontologist Hong Kong Alzheimer's Disease Association Board Member) "...The story was written with a dash of humor and lots of love from a child's perspective. It helps to take away some of the mystery, and reminds us that even though the disease has changed the mind and body, the person with dementia is still there, and still loves us. She has illustrated an important message that people with dementia might not remember the events, but they will always remember the feelings that they experienced... I highly recommend this book to families and schools." Recommended and Endorsed by Dementia and Alzheimer's Professionals and Families on the Dementia Journey "A very sweet way to present the challenges a loved one faces when someone dear to them is going through this disease. I found that many aspects of dementia / Alzhei- mer's were touched upon. I see this process every day in my profession. One of my very favorite sayings is "to love them through it". This is a shining example of doing just that-loving someone through it." - Cindy Swanda LPN Memory Support Director, Fremont, Nebraska, USA "... The book has been a blessing for me-I think for the past two years taking care of my mom, I sometimes have a picture in my mind that is full of grey-and oh so dreary! This has lifted my spir- it up and I find that nowadays, even when I think of my mom, the picture has become more colorful." - Serene Low, Singapore Five Star Reviews from Readers' Favorite "... Grandma, It's Me! A Children's Book about Dementia, is a caring, compassionate way to teach young readers about memory loss and how they can help... Young readers will certainly connect with Riley's feelings as she deals with a difficult and confusing situation affecting someone she loves. The power of love shines through this touching story. Beautifully told." - Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite "... This book offers so many wonders in learning about the journey of loved ones living with dementia or Alzheimer's and those who care for them... I loved this book and highly recommend it for young and old alike." - Vernita Naylor for Readers' Favorite

The cultural and medical history of dementia and Alzheimer's disease by a leading psychiatrist and bioethicist who urges us to turn our focus from cure to care. Despite being a physician and a bioethicist, Tia Powell wasn't prepared to address the challenges she faced when her grandmother, and then her mother, were diagnosed with dementia--not to mention confronting the hard truth that her own odds aren't great. In the U.S., 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day; by the time a person reaches 85, their chances of having dementia approach 50 percent. And the truth is, there is no cure, and none coming soon, despite the perpetual promises by pharmaceutical companies that they are just one more expensive study away from a pill. Dr. Powell's goal is to move the conversation away from an exclusive focus on cure to a genuine appreciation of care--what we can do for those who have dementia, and how to keep life meaningful and even joyful. Reimagining Dementia is a moving combination of medicine and memoir, peeling back the untold history of dementia, from the story of Solomon Fuller, a black doctor whose research at the turn of the twentieth century anticipated important aspects of what we know about dementia today, to what has been gained and lost with the recent bonanza of funding for Alzheimer's at the expense of other forms of the disease. In demystifying dementia, Dr. Powell helps us understand it with clearer eyes, from the point of view of both physician and caregiver. Ultimately, she wants us all to know that dementia is not only about loss--it's also about the preservation of dignity and hope.

A guide to help family and friends navigate the emotional and practical challenges they face when someone they love is living in community care. Life changes dramatically for the entire family when the decision is made to move a person who has dementia from home to community care. Rachael Wonderlin, a gerontologist, dementia care expert, and popular dementia care blogger, helps caregivers cope with the difficult behaviors, emotions, and anxieties that both they and their loved one may experience. Writing from her own practice and drawing on the latest research in gerontology and dementia, Wonderlin explains the different kinds of dementia, details the wide range of care communities available for people who have dementia, and speaks empathetically to the worry and guilt many families feel. "Do not let anyone make you feel like you have taken the 'easy way out' by choosing a dementia care community," she writes. "You are still going to deal with a lot of challenging behaviors, concerns, and questions regarding your loved one's care." When Someone You Know Is Living in a Dementia Care Community is an accessible guide offering answers to such questions as: How do I choose a place for my loved one to live? What can I find out by visiting a candidate memory-care community twice? What do I do if my loved one asks about going home? How can I improve the quality of my visits? What is the best way to handle conflict between residents, or between the resident and staff? How can I cope with my loved one's sundowning? What do I do if my loved one starts a romantic relationship with another resident? An indispensable book for family members and friends of people with dementia, When Someone You Know is Living in a Dementia Care Community touches the heart while explaining how to make a difficult situation better.

How to live a full and rewarding life after a dementia diagnosis. Keith Oliver was diagnosed with young onset dementia at the age of 55. Unaware at the time that dementia could affect people of this age, Keith set out to increase public awareness of the condition and dispel the myths about the illness. Using a unique diary format, this intimate and empowering memoir captures what everyday life with dementia is like, offering both a candid look at its struggles, and a profoundly moving account of Keith's journey to live a full life afterwards.

Across America and around the world, the five love languages have revitalized relationships and saved marriages from the brink of disaster. Can they also help individuals, couples, and families cope with the devastating diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD)? Coauthors Chapman, Shaw, and Barr give a resounding yes. Their innovative application of the five love languages creates an entirely new way to touch the lives of the five million Americans who have Alzheimer’s, as well as their fifteen million caregivers. At its heart, this book is about how love gently lifts a corner of dementia’s dark curtain to cultivate an emotional connection amid memory loss. This collaborative, groundbreaking work between a healthcare professional, caregiver, and relationship expert will: Provide an overview of the love languages and Alzheimer’s disease, correlate the love languages with the developments of the stages of AD, discuss how both the caregiver and care receiver can apply the love languages, address the challenges and stresses of the caregiver journey, offer personal stories and case studies about maintaining emotional intimacy amidst AD. Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade is heartfelt and easy to apply, providing gentle, focused help for those feeling overwhelmed by the relational toll of Alzheimer’s. Its principles have already helped hundreds of families, and it can help yours, too.

When a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia you might step into the new role of carer, helping your relative to remain safe, happy and as independent as possible. In this fully updated and revised edition, Dementia Essentials offers a realistic and reassuring guide to help you and the person affected navigate the complexities of dementia and Alzheimer’s, and face anything that these conditions might place your way. Written by real carers with first-hand experience, this book is now updated with the latest research coupled with essential advice, personal insights and helpful strategies, including: · Advice on medication and getting support from local health professionals · Ideas for encouraging independence, confidence and activity while reducing anxiety, aggression and confusion · Strategies for coping as a carer, helping you understand your emotions and feel more empowered · Guidance on how to prepare for the future, including revised legal and financial advice and tips on choosing a care home Positive and practical, Dementia Essentials will give you with everything you need to provide the best possible care for the person you are supporting.

The beloved best seller has been revised and expanded for the fifth edition. Jolene Brackey has a vision: that we will soon look beyond the challenges of Alzheimer's disease to focus more of our energies on creating moments of joy. When people have short-term memory loss, their lives are made up of moments. We are not able to create perfectly wonderful days for people with dementia or Alzheimer's, but we can create perfectly wonderful moments, moments that put a smile on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes. Five minutes later, they will not remember what we did or said, but the feeling that we left them with will linger. The new edition of Creating Moments of Joy is filled with more practical advice sprinkled with hope, encouragement, new stories, and generous helpings of humor. In this volume, Brackey reveals that our greatest teacher is having cared for and loved someone with Alzheimer's and that often what we have most to learn about is ourselves.