1. < Caregivers: Dementia

Caregiver support and dementia: What are your book recommendations?

Posted by proff @proff, Jan 28, 2021

One of the best books for caregivers is one by Martin Schreiber, Wisconsin's former governor whose wife, Elaine, had Alzheimer's and for whom he was caregiver. In the book, My Two Elaine's: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer's Caregiver, he tell caregivers everything he wished he had known and nobody tells you. It is available on line, is large print, and is the best read I've had.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Caregivers: Dementia Support Group.

Kristin816 | @kristin816 | May 4, 2021
In reply to @hopeful33250 "What a great plan. I agree with you, @Kristin816, there is probably a fine balance between..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

What a great plan. I agree with you, @kristin816, there is probably a fine balance between providing distractions and having restful times.

I am glad to hear that the time-release melatonin is working well for him. If you don't mind sharing more, how soon, before bedtime does he take the melatonin?

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I believe he takes it right before bed - he usually has no problem going to sleep - falls to sleep watching baseball game etc .. so it is really to keep him asleep. He used to sleep for 4 hours and get up for a few hour to read etc ... so keeping him asleep for 6+ is our desire.

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | May 5, 2021

Hi @kristin816

I just wanted to be sure that you saw this announcement about the LBD recorded presentation that will be available soon. There are also other resources that you might find helpful.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/dementia-hub/newsfeed-post/2021-lbd-summit-recorded-content-more/?pg=1#comment-599285

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1 reply
Anne Morton | @annemariemorton | May 6, 2021
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hi @kristin816 I just wanted to be sure that you saw this announcement about the LBD..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hi @kristin816

I just wanted to be sure that you saw this announcement about the LBD recorded presentation that will be available soon. There are also other resources that you might find helpful.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/dementia-hub/newsfeed-post/2021-lbd-summit-recorded-content-more/?pg=1#comment-599285

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I would be interested in going over the LBD recording.

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Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | May 6, 2021
In reply to @annemariemorton "I would be interested in going over the LBD recording." + (show)
@annemariemorton

I would be interested in going over the LBD recording.

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I found this link for you. Hope it helps.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/dementia-hub/

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Apr 26, 2022

Hello to all Caregivers

I would like to share with you a recent post from Virginia Laken. Virginia has been courageously living with memory loss issues for a number of years. She has been maintaining a blog during these years and I wanted to share her most recent entry with you all. She wants everyone to recognize the feelings of someone who is going through this journey. Here is the link for you to read.
https://us16.campaign-archive.com/?e=8d0cf3f7f7&u=fa305ab2b4fe73c3449903522&id=fedad0dc92

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1 reply
virginia72 | @virginia72 | Apr 27, 2022
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello to all Caregivers I would like to share with you a recent post from Virginia..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello to all Caregivers

I would like to share with you a recent post from Virginia Laken. Virginia has been courageously living with memory loss issues for a number of years. She has been maintaining a blog during these years and I wanted to share her most recent entry with you all. She wants everyone to recognize the feelings of someone who is going through this journey. Here is the link for you to read.
https://us16.campaign-archive.com/?e=8d0cf3f7f7&u=fa305ab2b4fe73c3449903522&id=fedad0dc92

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Teresa, I f you would like, I would be pleased to attend one of you sessions and answer any questions. Even as I have dementia I am still very verbal. I speak every year to the caregiver group here in Winona along with Keith and we get great questions. I (we) would be pleased to meet with you in person. Mayo is just a 30 minute drive from Winona. No pressure but I do believe we are still articulate and deal quite well with our issues. If you have been reading my posts you know this to be true
Hoping we can work something out.

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2 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Apr 27, 2022
In reply to @virginia72 "Teresa, I f you would like, I would be pleased to attend one of you sessions..." + (show)
@virginia72

Teresa, I f you would like, I would be pleased to attend one of you sessions and answer any questions. Even as I have dementia I am still very verbal. I speak every year to the caregiver group here in Winona along with Keith and we get great questions. I (we) would be pleased to meet with you in person. Mayo is just a 30 minute drive from Winona. No pressure but I do believe we are still articulate and deal quite well with our issues. If you have been reading my posts you know this to be true
Hoping we can work something out.

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@virginia72 Hi Virginia,

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect!!

For the most part, Mayo Connect is an online community and we do not meet in person. I would love to meet you, however, I live in SE Michigan.
Colleen Young (@colleenyoung) the Community Director might find areas where your experiences can be shared. It's a pleasure to have you as part of the Connect Community!

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tim1028 | @tim1028 | Apr 28, 2022

A book I found helpful at the beginning of my 12 years of caregiving is The Caregiver Helpbook, published by the Legacy Health System in Oregon. I also took the 6-week course based on the book. A life-saver for me.

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1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Apr 28, 2022
In reply to @tim1028 "A book I found helpful at the beginning of my 12 years of caregiving is The..." + (show)
@tim1028

A book I found helpful at the beginning of my 12 years of caregiving is The Caregiver Helpbook, published by the Legacy Health System in Oregon. I also took the 6-week course based on the book. A life-saver for me.

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Here is the info on this book, I believe.
The Caregiver Helpbook, Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Marilynn Studervant; Leslie Congleton; Kay Kirkbride; Jean McFalls; Kathy Shannon; Virginia Sponsler; Howard Turner; Marilyn Cleland; Vicki L. Schmall

Published by Legacy Caregiver Services, 2006

ISBN 10: 0978544803ISBN 13: 9780978544805

Thank you, @tim1028! I think I need to get a copy for my situation!
Ginger

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 29, 2022
In reply to @virginia72 "Teresa, I f you would like, I would be pleased to attend one of you sessions..." + (show)
@virginia72

Teresa, I f you would like, I would be pleased to attend one of you sessions and answer any questions. Even as I have dementia I am still very verbal. I speak every year to the caregiver group here in Winona along with Keith and we get great questions. I (we) would be pleased to meet with you in person. Mayo is just a 30 minute drive from Winona. No pressure but I do believe we are still articulate and deal quite well with our issues. If you have been reading my posts you know this to be true
Hoping we can work something out.

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Hi @virginia72, I'd like to add my welcome. Your contributions to the online discussions here on Mayo Clinic Connect will be a wonderful addition.

Here are a few discussions you may like to take part in:
- Communicating Challenges With Lewy Body and Dementia https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/communicating-challenges-with-lewy/
- Is yelling and over-talking a part of dementia? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/yelling-and-overtalking-by-husband/

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