Loved One with Dementia

Jean Rawitt is a freelance writer and a consultant for the Department of Volunteer Services at Mount Sinai Hospital (New York). For ten years, she oversaw the Varsity Volunteer Services at Mount Sinai where she developed and coordinated a program to recruit, train, supervise and mentor high-school students as volunteers on hospital inpatient units. She is the author of Volunteering: Insights and Tips for Teenagers ( R&L, 2020).

With the U.S. population growing older and people living longer, Rawitt contends that teens are increasingly likely to know and need to assist someone with dementia. Part of the Empowering You series, this comprehensive manual offers support in understanding this neurocognitive disorder. The book begins with an introduction to what dementia is (identifying Alzheimer’s as a kind of dementia and not an interchangeable term) and a thorough look at the stages of dementia and the challenges associated with each one. As the author discusses ways to care for individuals with dementia, ways dementia can affect family and friends, and activities to share with someone with dementia, she maintains a teen focus by addressing such concerns as family embarrassment, guilt, and financial burdens, and by providing tips, such as talking slower and in a lower pitch to ease communication. The last chapters focus on facing death (including hospice care and what happens after death) and the importance of self-care. An extensive list of supporting resources rounds out this helpful guide.

• You Are Not Alone PART I: WHAT IS DEMENTIA1: What Is Dementia? 2: What Does Dementia Look Like? PART II: EXPECTATIONS AND CHALLENGES3: What to Expect 4: What You Can Do to Help Someone with Dementia 5: How Does Dementia Affect Family and Friends? 6: Activities to Share with Someone with Dementia PART III: WHAT’S NEXT?7: Facing Death and the Rituals of Death and Mourning 8: How You Can Help Yourself during Difficult Times Notes Resources Bibliography Index About the Author