Summer Reading List

In the midst of summer, many of us reach for our favorite beach reads, looking forward to a few hours relaxing. However, as a caregiver for someone with memory impairment, those relaxing moments can be few and far between – and the few you have, that time is valuable! If you’re looking to make the most of your summer reading list, here are a few recommendations that we and other care partners have found helpful.
 

Reading Recommendations

We Danced: Our Story of Love and Dementia
We Danced is a loving and thoughtfully written tribute to the author’s wife and their years together. The details of her journey with frontotemporal dementia and the author’s experiences as a care partner are presented in a manner that is truly illustrative of his devotion to her. The ways in which they continued to celebrate life after her diagnosis and the tips shared are valuable and beautiful insights for those living with dementia and their care partners.

Join us in October to meet the author! Scott Rose, will be our next Author Spotlight speaker coming up on October 12, 2023.
(Amazon)  (Bookshop)

HOPE for the Alzheimer's Journey: Help, Organization, Preparation, and Education for the Road Ahead
H.O.P.E. for the Alzheimer’s Journey equips Alzheimer’s caregivers with knowledge, tools, and advice for their difficult road ahead. The concepts are conveyed in an open, honest, and creative manner using original family email communications from Carol B. Amos’s own journey. Carol also introduces The Caregiving Principle™: a simple approach that provides a deeper understanding of a person with Alzheimer’s disease and a framework for the caregiver’s role. She provides examples of how The Caregiving Principle™ helped her connect with her mother. H.O.P.E. for the Alzheimer’s Journey encourages caregivers to take care of themselves and provides inspiration for a less stressful, more rewarding journey.
(Amazon)  (Bookshop)

Dementia Behaviors - Caregivers Survival Guide: Simple, Proven Methods to Control and Defuse the Situation Before it Blows Up!
Caring for a dementia patient can drain you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Dementia Behaviors—Caregivers Survival Guide addresses these concerns and gives you practical, applicable advice to reduce your angst and increase your peace.
(Amazon)

A Caregiver's Guide to Lewy Body Dementia
A Caregiver's Guide to Lewy Body Dementia is the first book to present a thorough picture of what Lewy body dementia really is. Combining current strategies for managing symptoms and behaviors with personal examples that connect to readers' own experiences, this is the ideal book for caregivers, family members, and friends of individuals seeking to understand the disease and provide support to their loved ones. Written in easy-to-read language, the chapters incorporate handy facts and tips throughout, definitions of key terms, and practical wisdom to help caregivers navigate the day-to-day. Links to online resources, support groups, and associations are collected at the end of the book for further reference.
(Amazon) (Bookshop)

Children's Books

Have a child in your life that is impacted by a loved one's dementia? Check out our recommendations for children's books as well.

My Book about Brains, Change and Dementia: What is Dementia and What Does it Do?
This book explains the complex concepts of dementia, such as brain function, disease progression and death to pre-school aged children in a direct and age-appropriate way, as well as exploring children's feelings about these issues. This book caters for children aged 4+ who have a loved one at any stage of dementia.
(Amazon) (Bookshop)

Grandma, It's Me!: A Children's Book about Dementia
This uplifting and touching story encourages young readers to support and care for the elderly with love, patience and understanding. Written as a series of diary entries, Grandma, It’s Me! also encourages journaling as a way to process emotions and feelings in order to become resilient to face life’s many challenges
(Amazon) (Bookshop)

Ellie's Butterflies: A Loving Story about Understanding Dementia
Loving someone with dementia can be scary and confusing! Ellie’s Butterflies is a heartwarming story about a young girl who attempts to navigate the complicated emotions that accompany loving someone with dementia. When Ellie’s mom surprises her family with a trip to visit Grandpa, Ellie is instantly filled with butterflies! Will her grandpa know her? What will she say to him? Does he even love her anymore? Follow Ellie as she learns how to connect with her grandpa and show him love, even though he isn’t like the grandpa she used to know.
(Amazon)

Looking for more to read? We have a resource lending library in the lobby of our Fairfax location. Feel free to browse and borrow!