Still the best go-to resource for those caring for loved ones with dementia

I've read this in the past... GREAT BOOK! Highly recommend for anyone that experiences Alzheimer's or other dementias; Excellent resource with ideas of how to continue working with people & how to change your environment when needed!

I must admit that I didn't read every word of this book. It was recommended to me by a friend because my husband and I are the caregivers for a woman in our village who has dementia, specifically Alzheimer disease. She is not a relative, and we really don't know her background past January 2021. The 36-Hour Day was written for families who are familiar with the person's background, making it very difficult for us to do many of the things described in the book. I went through page by page looking for topics that COULD apply to us and found lots of good information.

If you, or someone you know, are dealing with a family member who has been diagnosed with dementia, I strongly encourage you to read this book.

Very helpful resource. I have two parents in their 90’s dealing with ‘cognitive impairment’. I wish I had read this earlier…the authors provide suggestions for dealing with behaviors I had previously thought were due to personalities in overdrive. Now I understand I was seeing symptoms of dementia-related illnesses several months and perhaps years ago.
The book also provides reassurance and understanding for caregivers’ grief, frustration, and mental and physical exhaustion. I often find myself wondering why I feel so unsettled even on days I have a “break”. It’s affirming to know this is not unusual, and be reminded that I need a supportive network of resources especially since we don’t know how long our journey will be.

Hard to rate, but 4 stars for being a great resource for families and caregivers needing guidance on caring for a loved one with Alzheimer, dementia and similar illnesses.

There is some helpful info in this book, but it was super repetitive and so much of it was common sense. I would only recommend it to someone with no knowledge of aging issues and very little ability to empathize. For example, they say many times in many ways that caring for a loved one with dementia can be stressful, and you should watch for signs you are under too much stress. They go on to say that you might feel angry at times which is okay, but if you slap the person with dementia, it is not okay, and it is a sign you need help. I did not need to read 340 pages to learn that I shouldn’t slap someone with dementia.

This is one of the most important books I read on this issue. This is where to start after the panthlets and flyers arn't enough.. I work as a activity person in a memory care home.. And this book really helped me understand dementia better.

I hadn’t had any practical knowledge of Alzheimer’s Disease beyond dealing with end-of-life dementia in my grandparents so I thought my common sense would steer me through this new journey our family is undertaking. It took a comment from a relative, who’s been dealing with neurological problems, for me to realize how inadequate my education was: when discussing getting lost while driving, I inquired why she didn’t just use her iPad? Exasperated, she replied, “Because it’s not that I couldn’t figure out the directions, it’s that I couldn’t remember how to use an iPad.” That was the beginning of my awareness of how grossly inadequate my knowledge was. Alzheimer’s is a physical disease that eats away the brain: it’s not a mental illness that can be contained or managed.

I had been told this was the definitive book on care and I can’t argue that: it’s thorough and logical and practical and supportive (I read the fifth edition). Some of the explanations gave me tremendous insight into the mind of an Alzheimer’s patient. Other segments provided “Aha!” moments about behavior I’d already seen. It was also good that it reiterated how it’s self-defeating to try repeatedly to teach an Alzheimer’s patient something when it’s beyond their physical ability, so stop with the “Don’t you remember?” questions or the “I just told you” answers that just frustrate and hurt them. Then, of course, there are the many, many things that sucked the breath right out me and brought me to tears.

It took me almost eight weeks to read the book and, until the very end, I read it straight through. I don’t necessarily recommend that – picking segments from the contents may be best for a lot of people. There were times that I just needed to put it down for a while, and I started reading it at times other than before bed as it just wasn’t healthy for me to have these things in my brain as I tried to fall asleep. This was a library copy and I’ll probably be acquiring a personal copy to refer to in future. I strongly recommend it.

I’ve had people in my life die unexpectedly and suddenly, and others after long, protracted illnesses. I don’t mean to dismiss the agony and grief that occurs with those, but this is by far the most horrendous, horrifying, disturbing and cruel illness I’ve ever encountered, for both the patients and those who love them. I hope this book is no longer needed in the near future.

This is a great book for anyone who interacts with some with Cognitive Impairment or wants to understand this condition better (for any reason). It's depth is not extensive but the breath of its discussion on the topic is extensive. There are likely many books in additional to this one and some will likely answer some specific questions for some better, but; in my opinion, everyone dealing with this condition should read this book. Alzheimer's is especially difficult for loved ones who've chosen to also be care-givers even if they had no idea what care-giving was when they started. I hope this review helps at least one other person read+love this book!

I don't recall what year I read this. I was very tired at the time, and didn't even mark that I was reading it. I'm going to take the credit this year.

It helped me tremendously, and it would prove helpful to anyone caring for a dementia patient.

The 36-hour Day describes itself as “A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, other Dementias, and Memory Loss” and opened with Mary who thought she was losing her mind due to memory loss and instead of helping her, her doctor gave her some pills and told her, her memory loss was due to aging.

Just a few things from the book

1.tDementia does not mean the person is crazy
2.tDementia describes a group of symptoms that can be caused by many diseases
3.tSevere memory loss is never a normal part of growing older
4.tSome people experiences changes in personality
5.tSome retain the qualities they always had
6.tSome change dramatically
7.tTypes of care facilities
8.tWhen to discuss legal finances and power of attorney
9.tHow to recognize differences between absentmindedness and dementia
10.tImportance of following a Mediterranean diet

The 36-hour Day is a great reference book to refer to over-and-over again.