If you are looking for support while caring for a loved one who is suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, then you need the invaluable resources in this book. It is undoubtedly noble to take on the hefty responsibility of being a caregiver, but it’s equally important to take care of yourself in the process. You can maintain your peace, positivity, and well-being during this time with access to the right tools.
Inside Forget Me Not: A Caregiver’s Guide to Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, you will discover:
●the honest, effective strategies to navigate the new and challenging reality of caring for a loved one with early-onset Alzheimer’s
●how early-onset Alzheimer’s manifests in your loved one, the important expectations to have at every stage of the disease, and how to stay ten steps ahead of advancements
●the information and strategies to assist you in communicating effectively with medical, legal, and financial professionals through the process
●the essential practices to find your peace and maintain self-care during this difficult time …and more!
Taking care of yourself during this time ensures you can best take care of your loved one while not losing yourself and experiencing burnout in the process.
“Proper caregiving provides your [loved one] with support and companionship that significantly helps manage the progression of the disease,” Fisher writes in this clear-eyed, informative debut on assisting loved ones with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Following her mother’s diagnosis with the disease in 2018, Fisher sought to share her knowledge of caregiving to help those going through similar experiences. She explains the basics of Alzheimer’s disease and illuminates the challenges that come along with it—caregiving, support teams, engagement with healthcare professionals, and potential legal hurdles—while outlining ways for both caregivers and Alzheimer’s patients alike to find peace and happiness despite the disease. Fisher tackles this difficult topic with care, compassion, and a welcome sense of practicality, from handling issues of power of attorney and guardianship, to questions to ask healthcare providers, to recognizing the mental health effects caregivers often face, such as social isolation, depression, and even stigmatization. “Spread awareness, and fight stigmatization,” she writes. But she reminds readers to “Give yourself grace.” Offering a unique personal perspective from Fisher’s mother as well as insight from the author’s own time as a caregiver, Forget Me Not provides hard-earned, invaluable advice and ideas in clear prose and an easily digestible format.
While informative and helpful throughout, one of the guide’s most valuable aspects is a selection of quotes from Fisher’s mother (“I’m sorry if you told me already, but why do I have to take THIS pill?”), which powerfully outline the feelings that loved ones encounter while experiencing this disease—and remind us of Fisher’s precept “Don’t assume they are always confused.” This not only showcases Fisher’s compassionate view of those living with Alzheimer’s but also demonstrates the urgency of understanding the perspective of those being cared for. Fisher helps those caring for their loved ones navigate tricky situations that might arise by offering insider information from both a caregiver and a person living with the disease.
Takeaway: An urgently practical and informative read for anyone with a loved one facing Alzheimer’s disease.
Great for fans of: Jonathan Graff-Radford and Angela M. Lunde’s Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins’s The 36 Hour Day.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
