By Jeanette Fazzari Jones, Kentucky, US
Growing up in a close-knit family, I was fortunate to see my grandparents regularly. As I’d skip down the hall to greet Grandpa, I can still hear his rich, deep voice singing, “Here she comes, Miss America!” Then there was his sly smile as the cousins would gather around, and he’d pull out a fold of dollar bills to sneak us a little surprise. To Pasquale Fazzari, family was everything, and his eyes sparkled with joy when he was in the midst of us.
Some of that began to change when I was about ten years old. I don’t remember the early stages of his Alzheimer’s, I just remember hushed conversations and words that something was wrong. As time went on, it became more and more clear that Grandpa didn’t remember much, including us, his most precious treasures. But, as the people who loved him most, we refused to let him struggle alone. And as Italian Americans, what we did best was feast! As often as possible, we got together to eat, talk, and laugh. Even when he didn’t understand who was around him or why, he seemed more at peace to be in the midst of our love.
I wrote Meatballs for Grandpa to honor those memories and to give encouragement to children who might have a relative with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Young children may not have the ability to halt the progress of this difficult disease, but they certainly have the power to walk alongside a loved one in meaningful ways. While memory is a complex thing, smells and tastes can be a powerful prompt.
In my real story, I never had a moment like Felicia does at the end of Meatballs for Grandpa, however there was something powerful about mealtimes that brought our beloved Grandpa back to us a little bit. My hope is that your family will find similar ways to include your loved ones in special family activities.
In this podcast you will:
- Embrace the joy of intergenerational cooking and memory-making to create meaningful connections with your family members.
- Discover the power of children’s books in raising Alzheimer’s awareness and educating young minds with empathy and understanding.
- Find effective ways to support family members living with dementia and strengthen your family bond.
- Uncover valuable caregiver support and resources to navigate the challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia.
- Learn valuable strategies for navigating a dementia diagnosis within your family and find comfort in shared experiences and coping mechanisms.
About the Author
Jeanette Fazzari Jones grew up on the Jersey Shore, often making spaghetti and meatballs with her family. Now, she is an educator living in Kentucky. Her inability to sit still often finds her baking, gardening, or playing board games with her husband and kids. Meatballs for Grandpa is her debut picture book and is based on her real experiences of growing up with a grandparent who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Jeanette is a member of various writers’ organizations, including AlzAuthors, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the 12×12 Picture Book Challenge, and Ciao, a writers’ group for Italian American authors.
Connect with Jeanette
About the Illustrator
Jaclyn Sinquett grew up playing in her dad’s garden, feeding worms to box turtles, and tossing french fries to seagulls at the Jersey shore. She now spends her time avoiding sunburn at the beach with her daughter, catching up on a certain great baking show, and illustrating books for children. Jaclyn received her BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in 2008. She is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and is proud to be represented by Christy Tugeau Ewers at the CAT Agency. She lives in Brick, NJ.
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About the Moderators
About the Podcast
AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others.
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