|
LOVE AND LOSS—THE REST OF THE STORY
The later stages of Alzheimer’s
present another whole set of problems
“Davidson’s narratives are literary antidotes to the dominant medicalized stories of despair and decline in dementia.The humanity and grace of Ann and Julian Davidson will inspire all caregivers, as she shares the practical realities and emotional depths of separation and loss.”
—Peter J. Whitehouse M.D.,Ph.D., geriatric neurologist, Case Western Reserve
“This book will give strength to others on their own journey into Alzheimer’s
disease. . . . It is an exquisite story that demonstrates that love is truly a challenging verb.”
—Daniel Kuhn, author of Alzheimer’s Early Stages
As more than four million families in America know, when Alzheimer’s Disease strikes, it is often a family affair and a difficult passage in the journey of marriage. It is the later stages of Alzheimer’s that Ann Davidson addresses in her second book, A Curious Kind of Widow—Loving a Man with Advanced Alzheimer’s.
This is the honest and unflinching story of her husband Julian’s decline; it is also a tender portrait of an ongoing relationship and a narrative of the caregiver’s escalating concerns— when to call it quits with home care and where to place her husband for the best residential dementia care he can receive. How to stay emotionally connected while letting go and carrying on? Her husband cannot be her entire life; she has grown children to care about, grandchildren to love, life to lead. But always there are decisions to make for the sake of her husband’s happiness in his final chapter.
This engrossing account of Ann Davidson’s experience is full of up-close scenes; it is also a helpful guide for other caregivers who can see the later stages of Alzheimer’s on the horizon. Packed with tips and inspiration, it reveals her answers to many questions that so many spouses, family members, and caregivers must face.
Ann Davidson was a speech pathologist working with language-impaired children. She now volunteers on the Alzheimer’s Association Northern California Helpline as a family consultant. Davidson is the author of Alzheimer’s, A Love Story—One Year in My Husband’s Journey. She lives in Palo Alto, California.
|
