Customer Reviews

Alzheimer's For Dummies

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am the author of this book. I lost my beloved mother and my aunt and another relative to Alzheimer's, so in addition to being an experienced medical writer, I have had heart-wrenching personal experience with this devastating disease.

I argued about the title when I was asked to write this book, but eventually the folks at Wiley convinced me that since the Dummies brand is so ubiquitous that people would understand and not take offense. And yet you have taken offense without reading a single word of the book, or knowing anything about the year of research and interviewing I put in to make the book the very best it could be and the easiest to understand.

During the writing of this book, I also had to confront all my own buried sorrows and heartbreak about my mother's illness and death, so the entire process was fairly torturous. Yet, I persevered because I believed in the book and hoped it could serve to spread the message about the importance of early intervention and appropriate use of medication for people with AD.

The Alzheimer's Association is absolutely wonderful and they do an incredible job; we are blessed with a terrific branch staffed with warm and caring people here in Houston. But not every city or town in America is fortunate enough to have a branch nearby; I wrote this book to help people who don't have ready access to support services and who are struggling with medical, legal and finacial issues as well as the emotional problems and family strain that caring for an Alzheimer's patient can bring.

If you had read the book and then said you didn't like it would be one thing. But to judge a book by its cover not only brings the old cliche roaring to vibrant new life but also denigrates the love, care, research and hard work that all three authors put into this book.

Patricia B. Smith

Alzheimer's for Dummies does a good job in presenting the information relating to care giving and decision making for families of Alzheimer's patients.

During my mother's bout with Alzheimer's, I looked for resources that would give me clear understanding and answers of what was happening now and what was going to happen down the road. This book is one of several that I have on the subject. It does not make light of the disease or the issues being faced, but does present good information in a way that is understandable and clear.

As an adult child of an Alzheimer's patient searching for as much information as I can about Alzheimer's disease, I find most books to have very little of the humor I desperately need to find to help me cope as the disease progresses. As a person who is living through the progressive loss of a loved one to this disease, I don't find this book to be insensitive or belittling, but refreshing and honest. I have shared this book with other family members and we have all found it helpful.

...lies a pleathora of easily accessible and directly useful information for the AD caregiver. What is not contained on the pages is supplied by weblinks and addresses for helpful groups and associations. The best advice often comes from those who have walked the walk and the author here is no exception. Kudos to the author for her bravery and much gratefulness for the gift to us all from the author and her mother.

This is a great starter book for those who are just beginning the complicated journey of Alzheimer's disease. It is very simply written so it's easy to understand. It opens your eyes to what you can expect in the future and gives good advice. I believe after you read this book you will have enough understanding of the disease to know what areas you need to further educate yourself.

This book was very helpful for general information on Alzheimer's. I would recommend it for anyone with a loved one that has this medical problem.

I am hoping someday to find a book about a tough subject that I can read that isn't "for Dummies." However, this is a good book to read straight through or to consult as it is needed.

Book arrived safely wrapped and quickly in the condition described (it was a 'used' paperback in very good condition). I will use this vendor again.
Annie

I am absolutely appalled and saddened to see a book with this title.
I've been lost in the 'Alzheimer' labyrinth for the past decade.
I have no need for a condescending book of this ilk.
The title alone makes me want to vomit.
Shame on the authors and anyone associated with it.
Alzheimer's Disease is too complex a disease for a 'Dummies' manual.
This deeply disturbs me.
~m

This book may have excellent and easy-to-understand contents about Alzheimer's. However, the title is somewhat belittling and insensitive to the patient and to the family. Yes, having worked with Alzheimer patients and families, I would say so. I would NOT recommend this book to them. Perhaps to the general public is okay......but then, should they not also go to Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org) and their local chapters throughout the country for general information and resources??