Carers of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Patients Discover New Source For Inspiration and Strength to Survive The Period When Goodbye Begins
(November 2012) – With millions of people throughout the world afflicted by Alzheimer’s, virtually everyone knows someone who has been touched in some way by the condition - including a growing number of spouses and other family members faced with the shock and stress of having to care for a loved-one who has been diagnosed with the illness.
There is a vital need to acknowledge the mental and emotional trauma that is experienced by the carer during the early days of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, writes Dorothy Webb. In 'When Goodbye Begins—Sharing Life with Dementia' Dorothy explores the first few years of her struggle to come to terms with and cope with the realities of her husband's illness, the effects of which slowly but irrevocably changed him and their relationship.
Written with honesty, humor and a cathartic connection with the grief of the circumstance she found herself in, Dorothy's book is a deeply moving account of her struggle to come to terms with her husband’s deteriorating condition and find ways of helping maintain an active and satisfying life. She surveys the frustration of those early years, a period that is so often overlooked not just in the literature on the subject, but also by the medical and support services offered to carers and families.
"In the early days and months immediately after the diagnosis of dementia, the situation faced by family and those closest to that person, is one of tremendous challenge. The changes in the lives of these people are subtle, often slow, and yet, very extreme. Nothing is as it was. Not the person diagnosed, nor those close to them, nor the relationships. And the future is fraught with uncertainties."
'When Goodbye Begins—Sharing Life with Dementia' provides a unique insight into those early years and an inspirational account of one woman's resolve not just to survive them but also to make a difference for other carers by sharing her personal experiences with them.
"We need to remind ourselves not to look at the end of the day, just one moment at a time. We’ll reach the end, we will, and look back and wonder. Maybe we will even inspire someone else to be a little braver, a little stronger, and little more enduring just because we got through our difficult day, our impossible situation."
In addition to writing widely on the subject, Dorothy Webb has spoken at Alzheimer’s conferences in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. She continues to advocate for improved support and understanding for carers of dementia or Alzheimer's patients.
Availability
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009XK9MH0 Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/4037533 Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/247564 iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/when-goodbye-begins-sharing/id574853794?mt=11
MEDIA CONTACT: Contact: Fiona Gatt Phone: +61 3 408 335 025 Email: fiona@metaplume.com
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