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By Phyllis Braudy Harris, editor Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002. (334 Pages)
Using research and case studies, each chapter discusses a different aspect of having dementia. The book traces the experiences of different persons with AD from the time of assessment to the nursing home experience. Through its research and case studies, the book conveys the variable and personal nature of Alzheimer’s disease, from the individual’s perspective.
The anthology’s 14 chapters are divided into three parts which cover The Medical Experience, The Impact of the Diagnosis on Everyday Life, and Experiences with Formal Services. Each chapter concludes with a discussion of lessons learned, specifically how the data presented might be used by health care professionals and family members to promote more person-centered dementia care.
This book does not deal with the day-to-day activities and care for a person with AD. Rather, it is delves into the day-to-day experience of living with dementia in the words of the people themselves. It probes the richness and complexity of personhood with dementia – moving beyond the negative stereotypes.
This is more of an academic book, which includes study methods on data collection and data analysis. It may at times be challenging to read, but well worth the time spent to sift through to the nuggets that allow us to understand the experience of the person with AD – from their point of view.
Reviewed by Pia Schindler, Alzheimer Society of B.C.
