Becoming an Alzheimer's Whisperer: A Resource for Family Caregivers.
Carson, V., & Vanderhorst, K. (2014)
Self Published
It is estimated that 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimers disease, the most common form of dementia. This number is expected to increase substantially as the population of people over age 65 continues to grow. Most, if not all, home healthcare clinicians care for people diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and recognize the impact this disease has on family caregivers. Verna Carson and Katherine Vanderhorst have written an excellent, useful, and practical guide for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's. Their book provides an overview of Alzheimer's followed by tips on communication strategies; managing routine activities of daily living; dealing with challenging behaviors; and managing holidays, celebrations, vacations, and other events that disrupt usual routines. The last section covers topics such as music therapy as an important adjunct to care, managing loved ones from a distance, developing a support system, and a list of many valuable resources. I highly recommend this user-friendly guide for your patients' caregivers. It can be ordered online from http://Amazon.com for $17.99 or $9.99 for the Kindle edition.
-Contributed by Maureen Anthony, PhD, RN