When Someone You Love Has Alzheimer's: What You Must Know, What You Can Do, and What You Should Expe

My mother was recently diagnosed with 'early stage' Alzheimer's, and this book has been a great starting point for my family to figure out where we go next. It covers the whole gamet of the disease, and has just about everything you'd ever want to know about what to expect as the disease progresses.

An easy read too -which is good because this means that even the person diagnosed with the disease can read and learn from it.

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Alzheimer's: A Caretaker's Journal

The thing I felt about the book was that it seemed to offer a positive outlook on something a disease, the downfall of a loved one, the loss of an important connection between father and child that seemingly had nothing positive to offer. Some of the situations were gut wrenching, and yet, Marie not only came through them, but has now become an inspiration to others who are going through it now. Thats an honorable and difficult task in the face of something so difficult. Reading of some of the situations faced by Marie and her family shows clearly that their journey was wrought with hardship, yet this guide will inspire even the most tireless caregiver to keep giving, keep striving, keep going forward in this thankless journey of giving back to the loved ones who once cared for you and others.

If you are looking for a gift to help an Alzheimer's caregiver, I recommend this book.

Alzheimer's: A Caretaker's Journal by Marie Fostino and published by Seabord Press in late 2007 is one of those rare family caregiver books written in real time. Unlike many caregiving books written as recollections of caregiving experiences from years ago, Fostino's book is fresh, compelling, vivid, and poignant. It accomplishes its aim in helping the caregiver know what to expect.

What a gift! Joe Fostino had a saint for a daughter-in-law! How else can one describe the heroic deeds simply told? The highs, the lows; the joys, the tears; the frustrations, even the anger; and the commitment--yes, the unwavering commitment of a loving mother of five who devotedly cared for her father-in-law in a manner unparalled during the past decade.

Alzheimer's: A Caretaker's Journal begins with a brief history of war hero Joe Fostino and features letters from Joe's son (the author's husband) and two of her five children. Fostino then opens her private journal for the benefit of caregivers, family members, and all who want to learn more about caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease.

If you're a caregiver or plan to be one, do yourself a favor, buy this book! If you know of a caregiver who could use a helping hand, give this book as a gift. If you are a professional, share copies of this book with your clients.

You will be warmly touched and heavenly inspired by the story of St. Marie Fostino, who juggled long work hours while lovingly tending to her father-in-law's day-to-day needs for two years until his final breath.

Reviewed at TheCaregiversVoice.com/blog on April 9, 2008

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Marie Fostino's book, Alzheimers, a Caretaker's Journal, is a welcome resource for anyone struggling to care for a family member with this heart wrenching disease. The most important aspect, beyond the practical day-to-day experiences shared, is the gift of knowing that you are not alone, that there are others out there who have lived, and are living, what you are going through. Thank you, Marie, for your gift!

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As the title implies, Alzheimer's A Caretaker's Journal, is about dealing with a family member who has Alzheimer's. The book truly is a caretakers journal. There is little commentary from the author to cloud our opinion. Instead, we get to see into the personal lives of Jim and Marie as they take on the daunting task of caring for Jim's father, Joe. As Joe's dementia worsens, Marie rises to the call of a saint.

The passion of the author was noted throughout the book and my emotions were stirred as I read Marie's account of her time spent with Dad--a man who didn't even know her once he had progressed into the advanced stages of Alzheimer's. "Lady" is what he called his own daughter-in-law.

"Show, not tell" is what I often repeat to my authors when I am editing their books. Marie instinctively did this in Alzheimer's A Caretaker's Journal. She shows us who she is, what she is capable of, and how she managed day by day. Never once did she brag on herself. Using a chronological diary format, she showed us her human frailty and gave us a true picture of what it is like to watch a loved one's mental and physical demise.

I was especially touched that both of the author's daughters gave a short commentary about what it was like to live in the house with their grandfather in his impaired condition. The author's husband, Jim, also shared his thoughts. Therefore, we get to see how this disease affected the entire family. I hope I never have to go through something like this, but if I do, I pray I have the strength and wherewithal to endure and persevere the way Marie did.

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Join the Caring, Patient Marie Fostino and her Kind Family as they help their father, grandfather and father-in-law, Joseph A. Fostino, struggle through ALZHEIMER'S disease.

First off, Joseph A. Fostino lived and served in the military during the great depression and was awarded the BRONZE STAR for his bravery during WORLD WAR TWO (WW2). Joseph was a loving husband and father.

In her touching diary form, Marie shares her experiences with her father, Joseph, as he struggles through one of the most horrific of diseases--ALZHEIMER'S. Marie is a lady of tremendous compassion, and so is her family. I was touched by this story.

It's not pleasant to see someone you love deteriorate mentally, spiritually and emotionally. The effects of ALZHEIMER'S disease is a HUGE epidemic amongst our senior citizens GLOBALLY.

I highly recommend ALZHEIMER'S: A CARETAKER'S JOURNAL by Marie Fostino. It will touch you heart and hopefully, help you understand those who deal with chronic disease.

Marie Fostino is an accomplished writer and one of the kindest of women I've met on Twitter. If you have a spare moment, check out her author page on AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Fostino/e/B003NQV32W/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

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Home Birth

I loved the philosophy of this book -that birth is a natural, normal process that rarely needs intervention. The author exposes the obstetric profession for what it really is: male-dominated and misogynistic, with doctors (and CNMs) performing unnecessary procedures on women in labor for their own convenience and/or out of a real fear of labor and birth. Many of the medical procedures she writes about definitely are still the norm at hospital births, such as inducing or speeding up labor with Pitocin or artificially breaking the bag of waters, and putting women flat on their backs to push, but other procedures are simply not done routinely anymore. For example, she frequently mentions shaving and enemas (outdated prepping procedures) and using silver nitrate in the baby's eyes (silver nitrate has been replaced with an anti-biotic ointment). I was surprised at these references to outdated routines because the book was supposedly revised in August 2000. A new mother reading this book, without further knowledge, may fear these procedures will be performed if she goes to the hospital. Also, the author's information on circumcision is wrong. The studies indicating a higher incidence of cervical cancer among partners of intact males have been debunked. She does mention that circumcision is a mutilation, but then seems to say it's okay if a Mohel (Jewish circumcisor) performs the mutilation. I wish she had emphasized that circumcision is incompatible with a homebirth philosophy (placing priority on a gentle beginning for newborns) because it is an abusive act (no matter who performs it). Lastly, the author dismissed the option of unassisted homebirth. Even though she disagrees with this method of birth, she could have given it a little more consideration.

This is a fascinating and historical book. It is written in a readable narrative fashion, mixing in all relevant data on the subject matter. You hear both the personal story of the author and an even handed analysis of relevant debates. This was one of the first books written on the modern home birth movement over twenty years ago. It was extremely controversial for the time, and is a must read for anyone interested in childbirth.

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I just wanted to comment on what the last reviewer said about circumcision. I am an avid supporter of homebirth; however, I am also a Jew. Knowing several "mohels" personally and having circumcised my two sons, I can tell you that the procedure is very different from the (admitted) mutilation that happens in the hospital-where babies are strapped down spread-eagle and have painful clamps used on them by someone who is less than ideally skilled. A mohel (a kosher one) does not use such clamps; and the baby is held by a loving person carefully with many prayers goign out to him while the whole thing is done in seconds. I'm not saying it is easy, but it is a right of passage that is absolutely fundamental to our religion, and I believe that it is unfair to equate this ritual with the experience that goes on in the hospital.

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Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life: Achieving Optimal Health and Wellness through Ayurveda, Ch

I enjoyed this book it immensely. It is written in a very down to earth style, but with an abundance of knowledge and experience in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. The identification and purpose of the hormones and how they work is explained very clearly. Lifestyle, diet, and stress management are reinforced as the way in which we can jumpstart our ways out of feeling 'crummy'.

> This book not only reinforced my faith in taking charge of our healing, but brought to light that it is OK to SLOW down and not fear looking weak or 'on task' at all times.

> This book has helped me to regain confidence in myself as the Self. I now understand the need for my yin to be nourished.

It will touch the hearts of many women.

The book is 305 pages full of abundant and scientifically sound information. Her writing and teaching brings invaluable information to the reader in an easy to follow and witty form. I have enjoyed this book so much that the studio has made it required reading for our Yoga and Ayurveda Therapy Teacher Training 300-hour, 750-hour and 1,000-hour.

I have been recommending this book to my private clients. The ones who have read it have gained a better understanding of Ayurveda and because of this they were able to take more control and responsibility over their healing process. I have found that most people are more willing to implement a change if they know that there is science behind it. This book enables me to easily show people the science behind Ayurveda and Chinese medicine.

Furthermore, "Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life" not only covers the meeting ground of Eastern and Western medicine, it also explains a lot of myths and misconceptions that have been polluting both systems. Dr. Claudia Welch has been able to identify how the term "statistics" can be misleading when it comes to the Western medicine and how "folklore" can be falsely passed as Eastern medicine.

There is so much knowledge in this book that, dare I say, after a layman studies it, they will understand and know more than some ayurvedic practitioners that I have met.

I recommend this book to every one that wants to learn more about Ayurveda, Chinese medicince, or simply aspires to becoming and staying healthy.

Thank you Claudia for the gift of this book!

Sylvie Binga, MS

ayurvedavie@gmail.com

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Whether you have questions and concerns about your own hormonal balance or not, Dr. Claudia Welch's book is fascinating. I read the sections on fertility and conception with just as much interest and pleasure as the sections which applied to my life now, namely menopause. She presents a wealth of information, clearly laid out and accessible in spite of being a very complex subject. And she offers the reader the best of all three worlds; Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and Western science, skillfully woven together.

Highly recommended to women of any age, as well as to the men in their lives.

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I carry this book around with me, reading chapters and underlining passages and exclaiming to myself, "Ah-hah! I get it! Where's my high-lighter..."

Now, when I am out of whack I repeat the mantra of Diet, Lifestyle, Stress Management and ask myself which part needs adjusting today?

There's a great intellect and thoroughly kind intent at work in this book and both supported me in doing what I needed to do to calm down my own heart (which three months ago used to gallup all night long) so I could get back to sleep, count on a regular heartbeat, and bring a better semblance of calm to my life. I had to change a major child-rearing technique, and edit my daily "do-or-die" creed in order to prioritize my health. I quit a job. I slowed my life down to a steady trot. And I owe my growing calm and healthier pace to paying attention to the wisdom in these pages.

Still, it's for me a very new way of approaching life decisions, and I have things to calm down yet. I go back to the book for courage and understanding. It's great company, and feels like a wise friend.

Thank you Dr. Welch for writing this phenomenally researched, comprehensive, kind, good-humored book for me and all my sisters.

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I really loved this book. I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue when a friend of mine first told me about it. I feel like I learned so much about women's health and nutrition that I would recommend this book to every woman. Mainly it talks about the importance of natural, whole foods to treat hormone imbalance which is, you'll find out, common in our culture, due to chemicals commonly used on our foods, and on (or in) every-day household items. It also reveals some of the recent findings on hormone replacement therapies, women's health issues, and gives advice how to use food as medicine and place an emphasis on Quality of Life as opposed to More = Better mentality.)

I had heard the terms Kapha, Pitta, and Vata (=describes your health constitution) in Ayurveda(=ancient medicine from India) from Perfect Digestion, by Deepak Chopra, but I didn't realize how this simple system resonated with me until I read this book. I have suffered from adrenal fatigue for so long without knowing it, mood swings, and digestive illness for the past three years and wanted a long-term solution rather than quick-fix drugs that my regular doctor was prescribing that would help me temporarily, but have long-lasting, irreversable, side-effects! After having read this book, continuing my Yoga practice, finding a natural doctor, and incorperating the warm-oil massage, described in this book, I have recovered from digestive illness, am healthy and feel good!

It is difficult to find an Ayurvedic doctor, if you need one, but the book has tons of resources. I compromised and found a Naturopath in my area, who has a practice 45 min. away rather than 2 hrs. or more away.

For all that are getting this book--Yay! I think you'll learn a lot!

To your health!

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