Main description:

One year shy of her fiftieth wedding anniversary, Dee Hershberger was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Her husband, Bob, serving as her primary caregiver, kept a journal the following four and a half years. Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver provides an unflinchingly honest and heartbreaking account of what the couple went through.

During the first two and a half years, Dee gradually lost short-term memory but maintained most physical and social abilities. Over the last two years she lost these abilities, most words, and long-term memory. She also became incontinent, suffered from undetected illnesses, and experienced psychotic episodes and uncontrollable, violent behavior.

This is a brutally raw look at what it is like to lose a loved one to Alzheimer's, including what the disease does to the patient and the effects it has on loved ones and caregivers. This personal view into caring for a spouse with Alzheimer's will help readers understand the physical, emotional, and financial consequences of the disease, as well as provide support, advice, and hope to anyone in the same situation.

Contents:

Preface and Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: First Year of the Journey
Chapter 2: Second Year of the Journey
Chapter 3: Third Year of the Journey
Chapter 4: Fourth Year of the Journey
Chapter 5: Fifth Year of the Journey
About Deanna
About the Authors