He Used to Be Somebody, 1995: A Journey into Alzheimer's Disease Through the Eyes of a Caregiver (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book is one of the best case histories of Alzheimer's Disease that you will find and it is the only book about home care of an Alzheimer's family member available today.

There are 4 million people currently with this illness, 80% of them are cared for at home.

Thomas V. Murphy struggled for 14 years with this illness and was maintained in his home by his wife, Beverly, until he died. Beverly speaks of how she grew into her role as caregiver and how she solved the many problems that faced her as the demands of his illness increased. She also speaks of the bias she experienced once her husband began to lose his abilities and she speaks of the grieving, the humor and the strength she found as she faced the challenges one by one. You will laugh and you will cry but you will not be bored by this book. Her wit, realistic attitude, and common sense come through as she speaks with loving respect about their experience. The ever present love story is further enhanced by her use of the lyrics of old love songs which begin each chapter. She is a professional with 25 years experience working with profoundly handicapped people and who has had the unique experience of also being a caregiver. This is not the usual caregiver book about a dreadful illness but is a love story from beginning to end.

About the Author

Beverly Bigtree Murphy has a B.S. from Syracuse University, an M.S. in Counseling from City University, New York City, and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor who specialized as a case manager with a head trauma and psychiatric case load for 25 years. She has had a unique view of this illness both from a professional standpoint and a deeply personal one, resulting in her ability to offer practical first hand insight on subjects such as adapting the home, handling incontinence, grief and mournign, dealing with the behavior changes, and family issues. She has written extensively for the Alzheimer's Association, attended the Annual Public Policy Forum in Washington for three years. She has been the editor of "Care Connections Newsletter", a grassroots attempt to bridge the gap between caregivers and services available in Boulder County Colorado. Her articles on the realities of caring for an Alzheimer's loved one have been printed in newspapers and other publications. She has spoken at events, seminars, and training programs on home care. She was named to the Colorado Respite Care Coalition and is a member of the Community Eldercare Coalition of Boulder County.

Product Details

• Paperback: 348 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Associates; 1 edition (February 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0943909147
• ISBN-13: 978-0943909141
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #506,612 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Story of Unconditional Love, February 12, 2002

By	Brenda Parris Sibley (Decatur, AL United States) - See all my reviews

In a 348 page book that reads like a novel, Beverly Bigtree Murphy tells a love story-- of a lifetime of love shared in a few years with her husband, Tom Murphy, as he began his descent into Alzheimer's disease. Soon after their whirlwind romance culminated in marriage, Tom's successful career began to decline as the disease they would later come to know as Alzheimer's began it's destruction of his brillant mind and charismatic personality. Beverly soon found herself thrust into the role of caregiver for her beloved new husband, and into legal battles concerning his care, as well as going in circles in search of medical help before the diagnosis of Alzheimer's. The emotional turmoil caregivers know well is shared in Beverly's story, along with practice advice from her as a professional as well as a caregiver. Her book also incudes the stages of Alzheimer's, an annotated list of books Beverly found most helpful, and other suggested reading on grief and positive thinking as well as Alzheimer's and caregiving. Beverly's Web Site at ... offers practical suggestions to help with incontinence care and for dealing with challenging behaviors as well as information about her book. He Used to Be Somebody, is a story of unconditional love-- a love that did not end even through all the turmoil brought about by Alzheimer's, and the old love song lyrics at the beginning of each chapter are just one more evidence of this, weaving together the story of Tom and Beverly Murphy and their unending love.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside Alzheimer's, March 8, 2009

By	Barbara Barnes (Fish Haven, Idaho) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a heart-breaker but also a love story. My father recently died of Alzheimers. There is hope and healing when stories and pain are shared. That must have taken tremendous courage to document this downhill struggle with a seemed "unhappy" ending. God bless you.