This is a link to download The Alzheimer's Playbook by Frank Broyles, Athletic Director Emeritus for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. I just started reading it, so will comment after I've finished.
Thanks. Great resource. I just sent link to my DH's sibs and our kids,my mom, DH's daytime Activities Coordinator (she does not care to be called a 'caregiver' and is a real blessing). WOw.
He was on Huckabee today. I downloaded it a while back but have not gotten it read. I felt he kind of whitewashed it not talking about the hardships. But he did talk about the 5 years or so it took them to diagnose her. The doctors insisted she suffered the effects of a stroke.
Charlotte, he didn't whitewash it as much as he doesn't like to remember the details - also their two grown daughters moved back home to Fayetteville (with their families) to take care of Barbara so that he could go to work. THEIR stories are identical to ours... such as putting in her favorite movie "The Sound of Music" and watching it with her, holding her hand...even the grandchildren had the movie memorized. One daughter speaks after her father at various fundraisers - along with a college senior granddaughter, talking about all of the details and how they handled each one....Frank did the playbook, and makes certain to keep the Alzheimer's disease at the forefront and tries to raise more money for finding a cure and helping caregivers now that he is retired. The daughter relates the different stages and how they dealt with them in order to help other caregivers.
Personally I think it is a great book for a beginning caregiver. It was the place where I first got the hard news. He is both blunt, honest and kindly.
There is no such thing as a really good Alzheimer's and associated dementias book. The 36 Hour Day is pretty worthless although it was the only thing around for a very long time, and a good thing in its day. You will find much better information here and in other places online.
What the Playbook is good for is the overview, and the truth that all dementias are fatal diseases. Because that is what they don't tell you at the doctor's office.
I finally finished reading the Playbook and agree that that it's good for the overview. I've learned more from going through the process and from all of you on this site.
Alzheimer’s Disease: Women Affected More Often Than Men
ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2008) — Nearly 4.5 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in our country, and more than half of them are women, according to the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Md. As the general population continues to age, this number is expected to increase significantly over the next few decades.
I also have The 36 Hour Day (it was recommended to me by a cousin whose mother had Alz) but have not read it for the same reason (no time or energy). Should I shelve it and read something that would be of more benefit? Which one?
buzzelena, you will get all the basic info right here and in small doses which makes it easier to take it all in. You don't need an overview book which is what the 36 Hour Day is.
There are lots of other books. I've only read one or two. The advantage to the Playbook is that it tells you that dementia is a fatal disease and it is going to be ugly. It tells you to take care of yourself too and it discusses the idea of strategies so you will get through all of this and survive it. I also read a book about caregiving strategies, and frankly the best part of the book was the introduction where the author told her own story of trying to do it all on her own so long that when she finally called the paramedics to get her husband up off the floor after he had fallen, yet again, she was shocked at how they managed it. It took 3 of them to do it. She had been doing it on her own for weeks at that point. She was forced to realize that you can't do it all alone.
My local library has a stack of Alzheimer's books, none of which I have read. But that is what I suggest. Go to your local library and look at one or two of them. Maybe you will learn stuff. Maybe you already have learned it here and elsewhere online.
Thank you, Starling. I know, so far, that I have learned much more here than anything I have read elsewhere. The information and support here is priceless.
I read 36 hour day along with several other books on alz. but by the time I read one I already knew what was going on by reading what others here and other support group sites that I counted on. The books were ok, but can't say I really learned anything new from any of them.
Which book is best depends indeed on how much you already know, and what stage of the process you're in. I read a lot during the process of dx, then thought I knew everything and dropped it for a while. About a year ago I found "Learning to Speak Alzheimers" by Joanne Koenig Coste and for me, that was en eyeopener and helped a lot. My son and DIL have also read it and our best friends who spend a lot of time with us. Having found this site, I no longer feel the need to read books, but I have just ordered Scar Tissue by Ignatieff on the same friend's recommendation.
I've read everything I can find on Alzheimer's. That's what I do when I encounter something new. I liked 36 Hour Day much better that the Coach's Playbook, because it gave more detail. But I agree, I have learned a lot more here about how to deal with what is to come.