Love, Loss, and Laughter ─ Seeing Alzheimer's Differently

More than 5.3 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s, and nearly 11 million family members and friends serve as unpaid caregivers.?Love, Loss, and?Laughter?challenges the typical perception of people with Alzheimer’s as “empty shells,” lost to themselves and others. Endorsed by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), this important work melds uplifting photographs with thoughtful text by the author, care partners, researchers, medical practitioners, social care providers, activists, and people living with dementia diagnoses. While research for a cure will one day bring an end to the problem, this inspirational book shows and tells how today we can achieve ADI’s vision of “a better life for people with dementia and their carers.”

More than one hundred touching photographs—taken in homes, memory clinics, day programs, and residential centers in the US, France, India, Japan, the Dominican Republic and Canada—are interwoven with insightful commentaries from thirty-five international contributors whose personal experiences and statements about good practices reinforce the author’s message: people with dementia retain vital capacities. Their quality of life can be significantly enhanced via person-centered care that increases confidence, nourishes capacities, and opens better communication strategies.

While there is great sadness in losing one’s cognitive abilities, family members and caregivers can also share a wealth of love and moments of joy. With the help of this book, our view of Alzheimer’s can shift from “the long goodbye” to “the long hello.”

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Cathy Greenblat, PhD, is Professor Emerita of Sociology at Rutgers University, where she has served as a member of the Departments of Sociology and Women’s Studies. She has authored more than 100 professional articles and 14 books. Her award-winning photographs of aging, Alzheimer’s, and palliative care have been exhibited worldwide.