Each month one of our authors will meet with readers and caregivers online to discuss their book. Christy Byrne Yates, MS will moderate. The authors will talk about their own dementia journeys and why they chose to write about them. They’ll be available to answer questions. This is a wonderful way to learn more about dementia and caregiving.
There is no need to read the book prior to the discussion, although this may be beneficial.
Meet Our Summer Series Authors
Session 1: Tuesday, June 14th at 2:00 PM EDT Catch the replay here
Ruth Stevens, author of Stage Seven, a novel
At Tropical Gardens Memory Center, love was the last thing they expected to find.
Barbara Gordon is a self-reliant, divorced mom, brilliant at managing her life with lists and spreadsheets. Lately, though, the demands of a teenage daughter, a manipulative sister, and a mother with worsening Alzheimer’s are more than she can handle. Then Barbara meets Jack, an appealing older man married to a late-stage dementia patient who no longer knows him. Jack and Barbara hold the power to make each other happy…but only if Barbara can break her long cycle of romantic abstinence.
Funny, sad, and heartwarming, Stage Seven is about two people caught between love and duty, and the risks we take when we commit our hearts to family, friends, and lovers alike.
From the author: “I was determined that Stage Seven: A Novel should not be a relentless downer. A big believer in the power of laughter to ease our pain and anxiety, I always incorporate humor in my writing, no matter how serious the topic—while still taking care to respect the subject matter.” Read the rest of Ruth’s AlzAuthors post
Purchase Stage Seven on Amazon
Session 2: Tuesday, July 12th at 7:00 PM EDT
Renee Harmon, MD, author of Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer’s, Principles of Caregiving That Kept Me Upright
A compassionate memoir of younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease with thoughtful guidelines for caregivers.
On a family vacation in 2009, Dr. Renée Brown Harmon felt the first jolt of fear that something might be wrong. How could her husband, Harvey, a highly intelligent physician, marathon runner, and devoted father, be struggling to keep up with their guide’s simple instructions or unable to do simple math to calculate their daughter’s age? The heartbreaking truth was confirmed nine months later when he was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease at age fifty.
Soon after, Harmon felt she had no choice but to inform the state medical board that it was no longer safe for her husband to see patients in their shared practice. Suddenly forced to manage both the family and business they’d built together, she stayed afloat by leaning on friends, family, and her faith through Harvey’s illness.
Part personal story, part instructional guide for caregivers, Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer’s is an essential primer for anyone facing the tremendous challenge of caring for a loved one with memory loss. Each chapter ends with a different principle of caregiving and offers readers suggested best practices to bring greater balance to the role of family caregiver.
Drawing upon principles of compassionate caregiving—from her own experience caring for her husband and her nearly thirty years as a family practice doctor—Harmon offers a uniquely clear-eyed account of how this disease manifests itself and shares her feelings of loss and heartbreak with honesty, grit, and grace.
From the author: “I call the book a teaching memoir, combining a how-to caregiving guide with a traditional memoir of our family’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease. Because I am a physician, and communicating effectively about good health practices is a vital part of that job, I couldn’t let the book be purely memoir. And instead of a specific step-by-step handbook, I chose to discuss overarching principles of caregiving. Each chapter is titled one of these principles, such as “It’s Better to Be Kind Than Correct.” Each principle is illustrated by stories, then a discussion of that principle follows, and ends with practices that the reader may choose to complete.” Read the rest Renee’s AlzAuthors post
Purchase Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer’s on Amazon
Session 3: Tuesday, August 16th at 4:00 PM EDT
Christy Byrne Yates, MS, author of Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation
Nearly 50% of Americans find themselves raising children while also managing the care of an aging parent. This is the “squeeze” of the Sandwich Generation. Challenges increased substantially for Sandwich Generation parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic and revealed the need for advance planning to prepare not only for financial strains but emotional and professional strains, as well. Every family is different, but there are some common hurdles to consider sooner rather than later. Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving Inside the Sandwich Generation shines a light on many of those hurdles, while offering strategies for moving from struggling to overcome them, to growing as a family in surmounting them; moving from surviving to thriving and building a legacy of love.
From the author: “The preeminent message of Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation is that for parents raising children, how we care for and treat our own parents will have a direct impact on our children’s lives. This encompasses far more than just the daily chores we may have in caring for them directly or indirectly, but also how we care for ourselves during this time. Are we modeling resilience and self-care? What are we teaching them about acceptance of those who are aging and battling dementia? Our children are always learning but we aren’t always aware of what we’re teaching them. Everyone’s journey is different, however there are some common challenges I hope to spotlight for others. In that same effort, I hope that in sharing my stories and offering some thoughts on mindset and self-care, I might not only help to ease the squeeze others might feel, but also promote conversations about dementia. The more these stories are told, the more stigma is reduced, leading to greater healing for families. That is how a legacy of love is built.” Read the rest of Christy’s AlzAuthors post
Purchase Building a Legacy of Love on Amazon
Questions? Please contact alzauthors@gmail.com
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Thank you for your support.
