Caregiver Journal

I have cared for three different people with Alzheimer’s under my roof: my mother, father-in-law and wife. My oldest brother passed away from Alzheimer’s as well. Drawing from these experiences I am working on an eBook about brain health and caregiving. Each page below is a compilation of blog posts that provides insight and material for a chapter of the forthcoming eBook. Parentheses indicate a chapter title that differs from the corresponding page. Included is a brief description of the contents of each page/chapter.

Hope and False Hope – Placing the emphasis of brain health and caregiving on the quality of life rather than on medical miracles

Two Journeys – How a high quality of life affects health; how a high quality of life af+ects happiness

The Caregiver Oxygen Mask – What caregivers need to do to protect the brain from stress and oxidative stress for loved ones and themselves

Love, Laugh and Learn – What caregivers need to do to enhance the brain for loved ones and themselves

Dementia Symptoms (A Tale of Three Sinclairs) – The similarities and differences between three members of the Sinclair clan facing dementia

Cognitive Decline (The Sock in the Coffee) – Caregiver observations of the declining mind

Caregiver’s Lament – Much like Kubler-Moss’s five stages of grief, caregivers go through a process towards accepting their role.

Caregiver Advice (Ps and Cues) – Emotional and practical tools for caregivers of dementia patients

Caregiver Inspiration (Beauty. Kindness. Joy) – The inspirational side of being a caregiver

A Quality Caregiver Journey – Lessons learned from our journeys together for maintaining a high quality of life