"Get in the Boat" by Darlene Fuchs

Jun 11, 2024 7:20 pm

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Hello ,

This week's featured book is Get In the Boat by Darlene Fuchs.

This book is unique to AlzAuthors because it resulted from the journals Darlene's dad kept when he was a caregiver to her mother.

Darlene intersperses her father's journal entries with her own perceptions and emotions as she observes the toll caregiving takes on her dad, the love and devotion her dad shows to her mother, and the impact the situation takes on Darlene herself and her family as she is ultimately the caregiver to both her mom and dad.

Darlene's dad gave her his blessing as she published his journals and basically turned them into a memoir of the family experience.

For any of you who are watching one parent struggle to care for the other, you will find strength through Darlene's tender book.

Darlene shares:

Reflecting on Get In The Boat's final pages, I'm engulfed by a whirlwind of emotions—mourning losses endured, yet deeply appreciative of sustaining love. Despite the hardships, my heart is filled with profound gratitude for the invaluable lessons learned from Dad and Mom’s journey. May their story serve as a beacon of hope for those facing their own trials, a testament to the enduring power of love even in the darkest of times. For in the depths of our struggles, there is always a guiding light leading us home.

Read Darlene's post here.

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It's here! AlzAuthors has a new website with a fresh new look!

We offer hundreds of carefully vetted stories and resources to support your journey and light your way through Alzheimer's and dementia. Check it out! https://alzauthors.com/

The AlzAuthors management team is grateful to Bold Media for guiding us in this website transition.

We also express our deep gratitude to Kathryn Harrison, our former webmaster and artistic designer, for her devotion to the creation and running of our first website.

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Our Most Recent Podcast

In this latest episode of the Untangling Alzheimer's and Dementia Podcast, we delve into an incredibly heartfelt discussion with AlzAuthors founder Vicki Tapia, author of Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia. Vicki shares her profound journey of caring for two parents with dementia, highlighting the emotional challenges and the importance of self-care for caregivers. We talked about the lessons in patience, respect, and kindness she learned along the way, and the humor that kept her going. It was a powerful reminder to embrace life's unpredictability and cherish every moment. Don't miss it!

Listen here!

Watch on YouTube!

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Coming Up Next

June 19 - Podcast: Replay of AlzAuthors Live! LGBTQ+ Caregiver Concerns

June 26 - Mindy Couch, author of Understanding Dementia: A Learn and Earn Activities Book for Children

July 3 - Podcast: Sue Fagalde Lick, author of Gravel Road Ahead and No Way Out of This

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Our Poetry Anthology is Now Available!

Our latest anthology is a collection of poetry on the dementia journey from the authors who attended our National Poetry Month event last year. Here you will find a variety of voices writing from different stages of caregiving: pre-diagnosis, after the diagnosis, years of care, end of life, and beyond. You'll encounter voices from the many different caregiving situations: caring for a spouse or partner, a mother, father, grandparent, or sibling. You will experience the pain, fear, and joy that accompanies a dementia diagnosis, as well as the love and the loss. In Kindle and paperback on Amazon June 1st.

Buy it now!

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Our June Book Club Selection is "Don't Forget to Dance" by Marc Alderdice

Please join us for our next book club discussion as we explore a memoir, Don't Forget to Dance, by Marc Alderdice. He shares the story of his Alzheimer's journey with his wife. Remember: it is not necessary to read the book to attend the discussion.

To learn more or to become a member, please visit agingamazing.com.

Register here to get the link to the Zoom meetings.

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Custom Caregiver Collections

AlzAuthors has been honored to donate a Custom Caregiver Collection to a senior community where one of our authors lives. Frank Brown and his wife, Sarah, live at Still Hopes in South Carolina. Read the article below to learn more.

Read about Still Hopes

If your heart is connected to a worthy non-profit organization serving the senior population and their families living in the throes of Alzheimer's and dementia, we might be able to be of support by considering a donation of an AlzAuthors Custom Caregiver Collection. Send us a reply email at alzauthors@gmail.com to nominate a worthy organization.

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Susan's Design of the Week

Please share this with your friends and followers on social media using the following text:

Caregiving can feel scary but worrying about the "what ifs" can prevent us from enjoying the "what is." AlzAuthors offers hundreds of trusted #dementia resources to help you focus on taking one step at a time. https://alzauthors.com/

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Our mission is to provide quality resources for those concerned with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Please help by connecting with us in at least one new way this week:

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