Sandy Benson Shares her Story of Caring for Two Parents with Dementia
Apr 13, 2022 12:01 am
Dear AlzAuthor,
As spring wakes up the earth, our hearts, and our souls to new beginnings, new life, new ideas, let us take a moment to reflect on the many gifts nature endows on us, often when we are not looking: Resilient daffodils swaying in the harsh April winds; vibrant tulips dancing in the sun; rain storms and sun showers quenching the earth's thirst; abundant sunshine warming our bones, continuing the cycle of life, the promise of not only flowers to feed our senses but food to feed our bodies. We have so much to be thankful for. Marianne
Please continue reading for this week's offerings.
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On the Blog: Sandy (S.G.) Benson Shares Her Story of Caring for Two Parents with Dementia
Sandy Benson came to Alzheimer's caregiving like most caregivers: unprepared, uneducated, but not unwilling. In her moving memoir My Mother's Keeper, she shares her story.
Sandy writes:
Not wanting to be seen as a complainer, I didn’t tell many people about our family’s situation. Some of those to whom I did mention it told me to chill out and just ignore it. I wondered if they might react differently had they experienced these things personally. It was then that I became aware of the stigma associated with mental health issues in general, particularly those related to aging. I felt utterly alone.
Read the entire post here:
https://alzauthors.com/2022/04/12/my-mothers-keeper-s-g-benson/
Please retweet the announcement of the post:
https://twitter.com/AlzAuthors/status/1514025889528438794?s=20&t=KQLjopMnzojR-4PE1xjSwA
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On the Podcast:
Laurette Klier Nana's Books Enable Those Living with Dementia to Connect with Loved Ones
Laurette Klier believes ENGAGEMENT + NOSTALGIA = JOY. She is the author of Nana’s Books, heart-centered pairings of nostalgic literature and art, modified to meet the needs of seniors living with brain changes. Each book is carefully designed to bring you and your loved ones renewed connection, comfort, and joy. The books were inspired by her mother-in-law, Nana Mary, who loved big and passed with Lewy Body Dementia in 2021. In this episode, we discuss, how books and reading can provide meaningful interactions between family members and those living with dementia, the need that drove her to create these books, and how dementia changed her relationship with her mother-in-law for the better. Visit the show notes for a complete listing of Nana’s Books, available through the AlzAuthors bookstore. Start listening!
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April is National Poetry Month
In celebration of National Poetry Month, we're pleased to showcase some of our authors' poetry. This week we spotlight Peter Maeck, a photographer, writer, and poet, who watched his father succumb to Alzheimer's with denial, disbelief, and grief, and then acceptance, looking for the gifts a dementia diagnosis often brings. To honor him, he wrote an ode that will move you:
Remembrance of Things Present: Making Peace With Dementia.
Watch Peter recite the poem he wrote for his father
Download a free digital copy of Remembrance of Things Present
Purchase the paperback on Amazon
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Our next Writers Group Live
Join us for our next Writers Group Live (WGL) presentation "How to Support Each Other and Gain Followers" featuring Jean Lee, Vicki Tapia, and Ann Campanella on Tuesday, April 26th at 2 pm EST. We will cover how to navigate social media, show you best practices in using various platforms, and how to take advantage of the free ready-made resources we provide to build your own author platform.
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Our mission is to provide quality resources for those concerned with Alzheimer’s and dementia. If you would like to help here are several ways you can support us:
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Thank you for supporting our mission to connect caregivers with resources.
Your AlzAuthors Management Team
L to R: Marianne Sciucco, Jean Lee, Vicki Tapia, Kathryn Harrison,
Ann Campanella, Susan Landeis, and Rosanne Corcoran
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