The emotional journey of the Alzheimer's family

Through recent scholarship devoted to Alzheimer's disease, people have become familiar with the term caregiver. Current research estimates that approximately 90 percent of caregiving is provided by family members. Santulli (Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College) and Blandin (Dartmouth Center for Health and Aging) offer a familial perspective, employing the phrase "care partner." This subtle change in terminology shifts readers' perception of and appreciation for the complex, dynamic, and reciprocal relationship between care partner and loved one. Though the field of caregiving frequently identifies a primary caregiver, this title addresses the needs of multiple family members to feel supported in their mutual efforts and their feelings of victimization and being overwhelmed. The authors examine the roots of possible discord among family care partners (usually centered on the illness), the defenses individuals use to avoid confronting reality, and the adaptation processes that allow family members to remain emotionally connected while making decisions for their loved one. Not unexpectedly, the final chapters address the needs of the care partner: caring for one's self, avoiding burnout, grieving, and learning acceptance. Santulli and Blandin's approach, captured in their title, fully supports the emotional needs of the care partner. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers and lower- and upper-division undergraduates. --Linda R. Barley, York College, CUNY

Starred Review. Using three decades of experience with Alzheimer's patients and their families, Santulli (The Alzheimer's Family) and research psychologist Blandin, chronicle the complex course of the Alzheimer's families' journeys from the onset of the disease through the death of the loved one. They empathetically discuss the anger, shame, and other emotions that frequently derail positive communication and the many stages of grief through which caregivers travel. Besides the emotional burdens of the disease, Santulli and Blandin acknowledge the concrete costs of financial impacts, loss of time, and physical impairments. While there are no "solutions," the authors offer guidance on establishing a care community and coping with personal stress. VERDICT Timely and excellent in reaching the core of Alzheimer's disease and all of its ramifications. (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.