Baltimore, MD (October 2009) —
Often portrayed as a "living death," Alzheimer's disease is
a growing concern for America's aging population. The fear of an Alzheimer's
diagnosis is outstripping that of cancer among baby boomers. This mind-robbing
disease demonstrates the truth of the maxim "we fear that which
we do not understand." But a new book helps to put some of that
fear to rest. Speaking Our Minds: What It's Like to Have Alzheimer's,
Revised Edition, helps to demystify this poorly understood disease
by providing invaluable insight into the lives, hearts, and minds of
the very people who are most affected - those who have it.
Drawing upon her vast knowledge from dealing with individuals with Alzheimer's
and their families for nearly 20 years, dementia expert Lisa Snyder
presents intimate interviews she conducted with diverse individuals
with the disease. Through their own words and circumstances, and Snyder's
sensitive commentary, revealing pictures emerge of the lives of people
with dementia. What do they want? What do they fear? In what ways do
they cope? How can others help?
Too often, loved ones and professionals assume the role of knowing what's
best for someone with dementia when they think the person can no longer
think for him- or herself. Snyder's book reveals how mistaken this perception
is. "Without the personal reflections of the people with Alzheimer's
themselves," writes Snyder, "there are missing pages in the
text of our understanding - the pages that tell us what it is like to
have this condition, to feel it day to day, to cope with its impact."
Her work teaches us that one of the most important things we can do
for people with Alzheimer's disease is to listen to them and to remember
that, inside, they are the same people they have always been, no matter
how much of them the disease seems to consume.
Lisa Genova, popular author of the best-selling book Still Alice,
comments, "After years of thinking, reading, writing, and speaking
about Alzheimer's, I'm convinced that the best way to understand what
it feels like to have Alzheimer's disease is to listen to the true experts
- people with Alzheimer's. In Speaking Our Minds…their stories
are moving, insightful, inspiring, and above all, memorable."
This book has the power to transform the way we look at Alzheimer's
and how we interact with those who have it. Many valuable lessons await
those who put aside misconceptions and take the time to listen.
Lisa Snyder is a clinical social worker and Director of the Quality
of Life Programs for the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research
Center at the University of California, San Diego where she has counseled
people with Alzheimer's and their families since 1987.
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About Health Professions Press
Health Professions Press, Inc. (Baltimore, Maryland) is a publisher of high-quality educational resources for professionals in the fields of aging, long-term care, and health services administration. Visit www.healthpropress.com to learn more about this independent company, its vision, mission, and ever-growing list of publications.
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