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Description
"Research-based advice for people who care for someone with dementia. Nearly half of U.S. citizens over the age of 85 are suffering from some kind of dementia and require care. When Someone You Love Has Dementia is a new kind of caregiving book. It's not about the usual techniques, but about how to manage on-going stress and grief. The book is for caregivers, family members, friends, neighbors as well as educators and professionals, anyone touched by the epidemic of dementia. Dr. Boss helps caregivers find hope in "ambiguous loss" having a loved one both here and not here, physically present but psychologically absent. Outlines seven guidelines to stay resilient while caring for someone who has dementia. Discusses the meaning of relationships with individuals who are cognitively impaired and no longer as they used to be. Offers approaches to understand and cope with the emotional strain of care-giving. Boss's book builds on research and clinical experience, yet the material is presented as a conversation. She shows you a way to embrace rather than resist the ambiguity in your relationship with someone who has dementia"--Provided by publisher.… (more)
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User reviews
What I found disappointed me. The book was far too academic and abstract for self-help. If it was meant to be a “guide for self reflection,” then something was sorely missing. In my estimation, what the book lacked was the warmth of frequent real-life examples to make the abstract ideas come to life. Yes, there are examples interspersed throughout the text, but they are not nearly enough.
The book might serve as a good tool to promote focused group discussion. In a group, the shared experiences and feelings of individuals would go a long way to helping make the abstract concepts come to life and resonate in the caregiver’s minds in a manner that might induce a transformative process leading toward greater resiliency. Group discussions need structure and this book seems to provide an adequate framework.
My mother has dementia and resiliency was something I knew I’d lost. I eagerly pored over this book looking for anything that might help. In my opinion, the book was a total failure as a self-help book. I gained absolutely nothing useful from it.