It's official. I'm announcing the availability of Alzheimer's Moments: Memories From A Caregiver's Diary! The book is now available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions. Alzheimer’s Moments documents Mother Dear's life, particularly those poignant and
sometimes humorous experiences that occurred along the way, and the
challenges of being a primary caregiver. Many of my longtime blog readers will recognize the stories in the book as I've taken most of them and polished them up with additional details.
But there is plenty more information than what's here on the blog. I decided to divide the book up into four sections. First is my Mom's life and some of our interactions before I moved back to New York to take care of her. This writing is all new and not covered here on the blog. The second section spans the time that I lived with her and took on the primary caregiving role. Third in the timeline are her years in the assisted care facility and what I observed there. This part also includes information about her stay at a nursing home, and her eventual death. And lastly, in the epilogue, I give a brief description of what has happened since her death.
So why did I decide to convert this journal into a book? I keep
running into people who have stories that are so similar to mine. There
is a “silver tsunami” sweeping the country as the nation’s baby boomers
age. According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2012 Facts and
Figures, 1 in 8 older Americans has Alzheimer’s disease and the numbers
are rising. That translates into 5.4 million people afflicted, 15
million caregivers, with a cost of $200 billion a year to the nation.
Anyone who has found themselves in the caregiving role to an elderly
person will be able to relate to these triumphs and frustrations.
Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always earnest, this is a first-hand
account of what it’s like to live with someone progressing through the
stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
I will not be reviving my writings here given the popularity and flexibility of Facebook. Please visit me there at Alzheimer's Moments Facebook and Like the page to follow along. I plan on working my way through our photo albums and posting pictures that bring the book's stories to life.
Thank you to all my followers who have been so supportive of me over the years. To
my new readers, browse through the posts here on the blog to get a feel for my writing style and some of the content of the book. I'd be honored if you decide to purchase Alzheimer's Moments.
Take care. I look forward to seeing you on Facebook!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Congratulations! I can't wait to read it, I've always enjoyed your insightfulness and sense of humor.
Going over to FB now!
Nancy
Hi Gavin!
My name is Esther and I am with an organization called Caring Across Generations – we are a movement of caregivers and family members who are coming together to change our nation's culture around aging and caregiving. I have been reading your blog and I think that you have a beautiful story to share.
I wanted to ask if you would partner with Caring Across for our upcoming Grandparents Day campaign (Grandparents Day will be on Sunday, September 8). Through this campaign, we hope to honor and celebrate grandparents and to facilitate cultural change that will enable families to open up the conversation around aging and care.
We are relying on grandparents and caregivers like you to help us spread the word about Grandparents Day and to share your own stories with us. Between August 22 and September 8, we would like to ask you to:
Write a blog post about your grandparent, or about your experience as a grandparent. Possible topics are: a fond memory or a funny story about your grandparent, or lessons and advice from grandparents to their children or grandchildren.
• Please send me an email at esther@caringacrossgenerations.org when you publish your GP Day blog post so that I can make sure to share it on the Caring Across website!
Tweet or post on Facebook using the hashtag #granecdote. We hope to collect thousands of stories about grandparents by tracking the #granecdote hashtag. Here are some sample tweets/posts:
• Just sent a postcard to grandma for #GrandparentsDay for free! Create & send your personalized card at caringacross.org/gpday!
• [Insert story about or advice from grandparent] #granecdote Share yours at caringacross.org/gpday!
We will happily share your blog post and #granecdotes through Caring Across' social media channels, as well as host your blog post on our site!
To learn more about us, check out the Caring Across website and facebook page. Our Grandparents Day landing page (caringacross.org/gpday) will launch on August 22nd. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. I look forward to hearing from you and collaborating for Grandparents Day!
Best,
Esther
Post a Comment