between myself and the Alzheimer's victim I loved. I had never planned to work in the area of geriatrics. But when my mother developed Alzheimer's disease I was thrust into the world of home care, Medicare, assisted living and nursing homes. I read numerous books and learned the lingo of lawyers, the health care bureaucracy and gerontology. Fortunately, as an occupational therapist I have years of experience adapting environments and creating activities for developmentally disabled individuals. Now I want to share what I have learned and created during the past eight years to help my mother utilize her remaining functional skills and enjoy life.
There are many books on the market that describe the symptoms and stages of Alzheimer's disease and behavioral interventions that promote function. Often this information is dry and overwhelming.
There are also many highly readable memoirs that give the spouse, adult-children and the victim's point of view.
Still Giving Kisses provides the best of both worlds. You will read a compelling memoir of a woman whose earlier mental health problems compounded the many challenges of memory impairment. The many therapeutic techniques, adaptations
and teaching tools I share are all tricks of the occupational therapy trade with my added touch. Extensive resources and medical, legal and care-giving information provide survival tools.
Although I wrote this book primarily for friends and family of Alzheimer's
victims, Still Giving Kisses provides a framework for health care professionals entering the field of geriatrics. Indeed, I wish this resourcehad been available when my mother began showing the earliest symptoms.
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