A Most Meaningful Life: my dad and Alzheimer's

by Trish Laub

Overview

A Most Meaningful Life tells the story of a daughter's journey through Alzheimer's disease with her father, from her initial awareness of his diagnosis to navigating his care and helping him achieve the good death that we all deserve. It is the story of how Alzheimer's affected her father's life and the lives of those who loved him, as well as the story of her family's successes and failures throughout the journey. With her family's efforts, creativity and desire to preserve their father's quality of life for over a decade, he continued to truly live a meaningful life through his final days.

Through the story of her journey, the author offers a new perspective, the determination that even with Alzheimer's, the possibilities are limitless. With a clear philosophy and the creation of a strategy, others can have a roadmap to navigate their loved one's journey so that they have "A Most Meaningful Life."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781732200609
Publisher:	Comfort in Their Journey, LLC
Publication date:	02/01/2019
Series:	Comfort in Their Jouney , #1
Pages:	164
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.35(d)

About the Author

In 2002 Trish Laub was told that her father was being treated for Alzheimer's. Originally from Chicago, she and her husband moved to the Denver area in 2012 not only to enjoy the beautiful mountains but also to be closer to her parents. Just 48 hours after Trish arrived in town, her father experienced an unexpected medical crisis, setting into motion a two and one-half year journey of care. Trish served as not only a caregiver but also as manager of both the care team and her parents' medical care. The process continued through their end of life and the settlement of their estate, and has since included the care of her mother-in-law and consulting for others. In all, over a period of five years, Trish has gained over 12,000 hours of experience in providing care for a loved one, including one living with Alzheimer's, taking the final walk of their life with them, and settling their estates. After spending 18 years developing computer systems, Trish went on to co-found both a national dance education company and a national nonprofit prevention theater company focused on helping at-risk teens. She is a Black Belt instructor of The Nia Technique and has been licensed since 1999. Using her previous computer and teaching experience in combination with her most recent caregiving experience, Trish has created Comfort in Their Journey to provide practical guidance for dignified care through end of life.

Table of Contents

NOTES TO THE READER

PREFACE …

an unlikely expert and “short is the new black”

PROLOGUE …

Alzheimer’s, the tip of an epidemic of dementia

INTRODUCTION …

a most meaningful life to the end

Chapter 1

IF IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR MY DAD …

then it’s possible

Chapter 2

THE STARS OF THE STORY …

a gentleman and his lady

Chapter 3

DAD HAS ALZHEIMER’S …

welcome to the new normal

Chapter 4

MOM WAS HIS ROCK …

the foundation was set in stone

Chapter 5

MY EXPERIENCE WITH EARLY ALZHEIMER’S

it’s a disease, not an identity

Chapter 6

OUR STORY …

Alzheimer’s and patient advocacy

Our Introduction to Sundowning and

the Need for Patient Advocacy

The Crisis

Chapter 7

MY FAMILY’S PHILOSOPHY…

Dad’s still here

He May Not Know Us, But We Still Know Who He Is

We were his Guardians

The Golden Rule

Chapter 8

THE ULTIMATE GOAL …

quality not quantity

Chapter 9

UNDERSTANDING ALZHEIMER’S …

possibly the most important chapter

Facing the Facts

Dispelling the Myths

The True Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

A Necessary and Effective Treatment Approach

Chapter 10

UNDERSTANDING A LIFE WITH ALZHEIMER’S …

different -- not less

The Real Killers

A New Approach

Let Them Take Their Time

Every Day is a New Day

Encourage Them to Do as Much as Possible

Sensory Overload is a Huge Problem

The Senses

Idiosyncrasies are Amplified

Lessons From a Kind of You-topia

It’s Not Easy

Chapter 11

MY FAMILY’S STRATEGY …

comfort in his care

My Daily Ritual

Daily Objectives

Mantra

Routine with Flexibility

Patient Advocacy

Interaction

Connection

Tips that Created Success

Having His Ducks in A Row

Sharing the Diagnosis

Chapter 12

HIS LEGACY …

meaningful beyond the end

Chapter 13

TESTAMENTS TO A MOST MEANINGFUL LIFE …

in others’ words

Chapter 14

FINAL THOUGHTS …

and additional reading

POSTSCRIPT …

how to help someone in crisis

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