Common Sense Caregiving -- a book for distraught families dealing with mental impairment

I have just received a book by columnist Gary Joseph LeBlanc that documents his 3,000-plus days as the primary caregiver for his father, who had Alzheimer's. It's a common-sense approach to caregiving he calls, STAYING AFLOAT IN A SEA OF FORGETFULNESS. Gary's father died of Alzheimer's, but other diseases such as Parkinson's also involve memory impairment and behavioral problems that test the most patient loving caregivers. He says, "When caregivers are looking for help, the last thing they need is medical text so complex they already forget what they read by the time it's laid back down."

You won't have this problem with Gary's book. The chapters are short; the text, in large-size font, and the language, caregiver-friendly.

Gary originally wrote a column for his local newspaper about the daily ups and downs in taking care of his father. He chose 65 of those articles to form his step-by-step book to help others who are companions of those entering into the "murky waters" of mental impairment and a debilitating disease. His goal was to make this book an easy read. He does that, but he also adds layers of insight, empathy and wisdom from recognizing that point when a caregiver becomes burned out and needs respite to describing the ongoing grieving process that begins as the loved one "whittles away to a twig" until actual death and thereafter.

All through the book Gary inserts associated poems and pearls of wisdom. One is by Gary himself: Have you ever been cruising through your day when you suddenly hear lyrics from a song that stick with you for awhile? Well, this Beatle song came on the radio and I heard them singing, 'I get by with a little help from my friends.' It got me thinking; through a campaign of caregiving, you need to always be grateful for all the little things people do to try to help.

You can order your own copy of the book from http://www.stayingafloatbook.com/ or at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other major online booksellers.