When a Family Member has Dementia: Steps to Becoming a Resilient Caregiver
By Susan M. McCurry; Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. (142 Pages)

This book helps caregivers of people with dementia learn to be more resilient. It does this by offering a set of practical and flexible tools that encourage them to draw on their own inner resources while dealing with the challenging behaviors of the disease process. The book is easy to read, the information and suggestions helpful and all the emotions of caregiving are addressed.

The book’s contents are divided into three sections:

1. The Problem – Dementia Caregiving Is Hard

  • Why resilience matters

2. Learning the Dementia Dance - The author’s 5 Core Principles

  • Don’t argue
  • Accept the disease
  • Nurture yourself
  • Create novel solutions
  • Enjoy the moment with your loved one
3. The Promise: You Can Do It

Throughout the book the author uses vignettes to explain and then illustrate her principles very effectively. Each chapter comes with exercises to extend the learning. This book reinforces what The Alzheimer Society covers in its Family Caregiver Series, and provides information in a way that is not demanding or judgmental. Many of the behavior challenges that family caregivers have to face are addressed in the book.

It also covers an area that is rarely explored in other books. It discusses why caregivers may become stuck, unable to, or even at times, unwilling to help their loved one. This sometimes leads to them being unable to consistently implement positive practices that they know would improve their situation. The book offers very useful strategies for caregivers to remain adaptable amidst the challenges of dementia.

Reviewed by Katherine Guilbride, Alzheimer Society of B.C.