Supporting Parents with Alzheimer's

Many of us are unprepared and confused about how to proceed when our parent begins to suffer the effects of old age. This confusion is amplified when faced with a diagnosis of a cognitive illness such as Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. What can you do for your parent in the early stages? What if the illness has already progressed considerably but your parent still refuses your help? How do you comfort your anxious elderly parent during this emotional time? This book answers those questions. Exclusive to Supporting Elderly Parents with Alzheimer's is a technique that author Tanya Lee Howe developed called the 'mom book.' Your elderly parent may have trouble remembering to take medicines or when he or she last went to the doctor. In addition, there may be several people involved with your parent's care. The 'mom book' exists to record every health-care and parent-related update so that everyone is on the same page. It's a coordination tool that will become invaluable to you,your elderly parent, and anyone else involved in caregiving. Throughout the book, the author uses her real-life experiences to guide readers through the sensitive topic of eldercare. From deciding when to step in and help, how to care for your parent's emotional well-being, how to make health-care decisions, and how to help manage his or her finances, Supporting Elderly Parents with Alzheimer's explains it all. The book covers topics such as: Figuring out the right time to intervene Considering all the options available to you and your parent Making a transition as comfortable as possible Obtaining legal guardianship, trusteeship, or power of attorney status Preventing elder abuse and fraudIf your parent has been diagnosed with a cognitive illness, Supporting Elderly Parents will arm you with the knowledge to meet your parent's psychological and physical needs so that he or she can continue to live comfortably and safely, without feeling like a burden.