A Dignified Life: The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care, a Guide for Family Caregivers

by Virginia Bell and David Troxel

Book Overview

Four million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer's disease and experts estimate that 22 million people around the world will be so afflicted by 2025. Far too many families are struggling with... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 075730060X
• ISBN13: 9780757300608
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Hci
• Length: 250 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Alzheimers

A very good, nuts and bolts book that helps greatly with the caring of a patient with a fading mind. Thank You

Terrific!

I had the opportunity to work with Ms. Bell at the Helping Hands center almost 10 years ago. It is an amazing program and she is the most amazing person I have ever met. This book teaches you the fundamentals of how the Day Care operates and how to communicate with those afflicted with Dementia. After all these years I still rely on this book and its teachings in my work as a therapist.

The single best book on caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease

As a professional in the Alzheimer's field, as well as a family caregiver, I have read dozens of books on caring for people with Alzheimer's disease. Though there are many excellent ones (Claudia J. Strauss's "Talking to Alzheimer's" and Bell & Troxel's "The Best Friends' Book of Alzheimer's Activities" are other favorites), this is the first book I most recommend to anyone on the challenging journey of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease. It is simply superb.

Best Friends Forever

I recently finished reading A Dignified Life by Virginia Bell and David Troxel and wish to thank the authors for making available a wonderful book on a difficult subject. It has provided tremendous support in helping me better understand Alzheimer's and especially how to relate to family and friends who have it. Recently my dearest aunt and uncle were diagnosed with this disease and I was unsure how our visits would go: what to say, how to interact with them, and what to do with them. The Best Friends approach offered such practical tips, examples, and guidelines to help with communication and interaction. It made my visits with my aunt and uncle less stressful and more enjoyable for all of us. My aunt still enjoys her sense of humor, so that the section on Friends Laugh Together and Often made a lot of sense. I would recommend this book for anyone dealing with relatives or friends with Alzheimer's disease. Above all else it helps us remember to treat them with dignity as best friends.

reassuring help

Some books about Alzheimer's have just made us feel defeated, but this book has really helped my family. This book has helped us with communication, self-esteem, how to still do things together. We feel so much more supported. This is a hard disease, but this book is helping make day-to-day life a little easier. Give it a try. Everyone in your family will feel more valued.