Helpful Links

Alzheimers Association

Duke Family Support Group

Legal and Financial Planning

Dementia Alliance

alzheimers reaing room Originally a blog written by someone who was the caregiver for his mother, it is now on Facebook. On an annual basis it is one of the most widely read and highly recognized content sites solely devoted to Alzheimer’s. It offers a wealth of caregiver advice for those coping with a dementia diagnosis.

Support Groups

Caregiver support groups can be an invaluable source of compassion, empathy, and information for those caring for someone with dementia. The confidential sharing of stories and what has worked for someone who had faced a similar issue or concern can be just what is needed to help another deal with a current or ongoing situation.

A list of local support groups can be found at List of Local Support Groups.

Helpful Books

Scores (in fact, an overwhelming number) of books have been written to benefit those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. The following is a list of some we think are the most useful:

To borrow a copy of any of the following books, email info@aosfcare.org

The Alzheimer’s Action Plan by P. Murali Doraiswamy

Action PlanI highly recommend this book by Murali Doraiswamy M.D. It was published in 2008 so it has relatively current information and has just become available in paperback for ~ $13. My wife has moved into Moderate stage symptoms and this book does a good job describing this stage, both what to expect and suggestions for dealing with it. It uses many short examples to put issues in a real life context. I also liked the section titled “Top 40 Questions and Answers.” –John Barrett

 

Living Your Best with Early-Stage Alzheimer’s by Lisa Snyder

Living Your Best

 

A great book for someone newly diagnosed

 

 

 

 

The Other Side of Alzheimer’s by Martha-Lee B. Ellis

Alzheimers Other side

 

Excellent book for a spouse, especially of someone newly diagnosed (written by a caregiver spouse).

 

 

 

A Dignified Life: The Best Friends(TM) Approach to Alzheimer’s Care: A Guide for Care Partners (2012) by Virginia Bell MSW

Dignified Life

An updated version of their original 2002 book by the same name. It was one of the first to talk about this approach.

 

 

 

 

The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer’s Family by Robert B. Santulli MD

Emotional Journey

This is not just another book about Alzheimer’s disease.The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer’s Family by Robert Santulli and Kesstan Blandin is described as: An empathic and clear-eyed discussion of the emotional journey of family and friends who care for people with progressive forms of dementia.

Peter Rabins, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine wrote: “Much has been written about Alzheimer’s disease and the family, but surprisingly little has been said about the emotional journey along which people travel from the early symptoms of the disease to its ultimate ending in death. In The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer’s Family, Santulli and Blandin address these struggles and triumphs in a straightforward and accessible way. People with early dementia, family care providers, and health-care professionals will all gain from the wisdom they provide.”