The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer's Family
Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health crisis. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 5.4 million victims of this disease; by 2050, there will be close to 15 million people who suffer from this debilitating disorder of memory, thinking, personality, and functioning. The disease profoundly affects immediate family members, close friends, and neighbors. These people—the Alzheimer’s family—undergo tremendous psychological and emotional change as they witness the cruel and relentless progression of the disease in their loved one.

Incorporating over thirty years of experience with Alzheimer’s patients and their families with current medical knowledge, the authors chart the complex emotional journey of the Alzheimer’s family from the onset of the disease through the death of the loved one. They discuss the anger that rises in the face of discordant views of the disease, the defenses that emerge when family members are unwilling to accept a dementia diagnosis, and the common emotions of anxiety, guilt, anger, and shame. They focus especially on grief as the core response to losing a loved one to dementia, and describe the difficult processes of adaptation and acceptance, which lead to personal growth. Final chapters emphasize the importance of establishing a care community and how to understand and cope with personal stress.

This volume will be useful to medical professionals and ordinary people close to or caring for a person with dementia.
1116220202
The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer's Family
Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health crisis. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 5.4 million victims of this disease; by 2050, there will be close to 15 million people who suffer from this debilitating disorder of memory, thinking, personality, and functioning. The disease profoundly affects immediate family members, close friends, and neighbors. These people—the Alzheimer’s family—undergo tremendous psychological and emotional change as they witness the cruel and relentless progression of the disease in their loved one.

Incorporating over thirty years of experience with Alzheimer’s patients and their families with current medical knowledge, the authors chart the complex emotional journey of the Alzheimer’s family from the onset of the disease through the death of the loved one. They discuss the anger that rises in the face of discordant views of the disease, the defenses that emerge when family members are unwilling to accept a dementia diagnosis, and the common emotions of anxiety, guilt, anger, and shame. They focus especially on grief as the core response to losing a loved one to dementia, and describe the difficult processes of adaptation and acceptance, which lead to personal growth. Final chapters emphasize the importance of establishing a care community and how to understand and cope with personal stress.

This volume will be useful to medical professionals and ordinary people close to or caring for a person with dementia.
579.99 In Stock
The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer's Family

The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer's Family

The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer's Family

The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer's Family

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Overview

Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health crisis. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 5.4 million victims of this disease; by 2050, there will be close to 15 million people who suffer from this debilitating disorder of memory, thinking, personality, and functioning. The disease profoundly affects immediate family members, close friends, and neighbors. These people—the Alzheimer’s family—undergo tremendous psychological and emotional change as they witness the cruel and relentless progression of the disease in their loved one.

Incorporating over thirty years of experience with Alzheimer’s patients and their families with current medical knowledge, the authors chart the complex emotional journey of the Alzheimer’s family from the onset of the disease through the death of the loved one. They discuss the anger that rises in the face of discordant views of the disease, the defenses that emerge when family members are unwilling to accept a dementia diagnosis, and the common emotions of anxiety, guilt, anger, and shame. They focus especially on grief as the core response to losing a loved one to dementia, and describe the difficult processes of adaptation and acceptance, which lead to personal growth. Final chapters emphasize the importance of establishing a care community and how to understand and cope with personal stress.

This volume will be useful to medical professionals and ordinary people close to or caring for a person with dementia.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781611687453
Publisher: Dartmouth College Press
Publication date: 03/22/2015
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 232
File size: 702 KB

About the Author

ROBERT B. SANTULLI, MD is honorary associate professor of psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. He is the author of The Alzheimer’s Family: Helping Caregivers Cope. KESSTAN BLANDIN, PhD is a research psychologist at the Dartmouth Centers for Health and Aging.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Importance of Understanding the Family’s Emotional and Psychological Experiences
Coping with Discordant Views of the Illness
The Defenses of the Alzheimer’s Family Care Partner
Common Emotions Experienced by the Family Care Partner
Understanding Grief in the Family Care Partner
Stages of Grief in the Family Care Partner
Acceptance and Moving Forward
Connecting with the Alzheimer’s Community
Understanding and Coping with Stress in the Family Care Partner
Epilogue
References
Index

What People are Saying About This

Peter Rabins

“Much has been written about Alzheimer’s disease and the family, but surprisingly little has been said about the emotional journey along which people travel from the early symptoms of the disease to its ultimate ending in death. In The Emotional Journey of the Alzheimer’s Family, Santulli and Blandin address these struggles and triumphs in a straightforward and accessible way. People with early dementia, family care providers, and health-care professionals will all gain from the wisdom they provide.”

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