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A Loved One with Dementia
A Loved One with Dementia: Insights and Tips for Teenagers offers insight into what dementia is and how you can interact positively with and assist someone who has dementia. Featuring personal anecdotes from young people who have gone through this themselves, and with thoughtful advice from professionals, it is a much-needed guide for those who want to help someone they care about. You will learn With helpful tips and a list of resources, this book provides practical advice and supportive suggestions for how you can understand and grow from the difficulties you and your family may face. It shows how you can not only help someone with dementia, but also find understanding and joy in loving them.
- GenresNonfiction
150 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2020
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 14, 2021
The idea behind A Loved One with Dementia: Insights and Tips for Teenagers by Jean Rawitt is a noble one that falls flat. Although the cover and illustrations every few pages make it seem teen-friendly, the language in many parts of the book is not as easily accessible to teens younger than 15 or 16. Even the title displays this by using “teenagers” rather than the more common term“teens.” Ideas and statistics are repeated in multiple chapters, often with the same wording, making it feel repetitive and potentially patronizing.
The only part of the preface that was helpful was the author’s note about the illustrations in the text (her own artwork). The rest of the preface was repeated throughout the book, rendering it mostly unnecessary. Teen readers and readers reading below an 11th grade level who hope to become more familiar with terms related to dementia may find themselves still needing to reach for a dictionary frequently, even for non-medical vocabulary.
The author tries to make it accessible to teens by including boxed anecdotes from teens who have volunteered with or have loved ones with dementia. These bright moments (discussing the mental decline of a patient with dementia) in an otherwise sigh-worthy non-fiction book offer a look into effective teen interactions with elderly patients with dementia.
Many suggestions are not necessarily practical for teens (helping your loved one with personal care including bathing and using the toilet), and the author even admits in some of these sections that teens are not likely to actually be involved in the process or decisions that the author gives tips about.
More helpful than anything are the resources at the end including works cited references by chapter, a bibliography of other books to read, a list of helpful organizations, films and short clips about people suffering from dementia and their caretakers, websites, and a list of songs that dementia patients may enjoy. There is an index of terms for readers looking for a quick reference to a particular concern.
For readers looking for information on the stages of death, particularly what to expect at the end, there is a chapter about it that could be helpful for anyone who has a loved one that is expected to die.
This book is part of a series put together by the publisher, each book by a different author. With a few typos and content that was not as accessible as teens may hope, this book ranks a solid 3 out of 5 stars only because some content may be helpful for teens who will volunteer or work in a nursing home. But it may be more helpful to simply speak with assisted living staff or a hospice worker, or read a pamphlet than read this book.
If you are an older person reading the book, you may find it more helpful or at least have more desire to make it through to glean the helpful content buried in the mess.
The only part of the preface that was helpful was the author’s note about the illustrations in the text (her own artwork). The rest of the preface was repeated throughout the book, rendering it mostly unnecessary. Teen readers and readers reading below an 11th grade level who hope to become more familiar with terms related to dementia may find themselves still needing to reach for a dictionary frequently, even for non-medical vocabulary.
The author tries to make it accessible to teens by including boxed anecdotes from teens who have volunteered with or have loved ones with dementia. These bright moments (discussing the mental decline of a patient with dementia) in an otherwise sigh-worthy non-fiction book offer a look into effective teen interactions with elderly patients with dementia.
Many suggestions are not necessarily practical for teens (helping your loved one with personal care including bathing and using the toilet), and the author even admits in some of these sections that teens are not likely to actually be involved in the process or decisions that the author gives tips about.
More helpful than anything are the resources at the end including works cited references by chapter, a bibliography of other books to read, a list of helpful organizations, films and short clips about people suffering from dementia and their caretakers, websites, and a list of songs that dementia patients may enjoy. There is an index of terms for readers looking for a quick reference to a particular concern.
For readers looking for information on the stages of death, particularly what to expect at the end, there is a chapter about it that could be helpful for anyone who has a loved one that is expected to die.
This book is part of a series put together by the publisher, each book by a different author. With a few typos and content that was not as accessible as teens may hope, this book ranks a solid 3 out of 5 stars only because some content may be helpful for teens who will volunteer or work in a nursing home. But it may be more helpful to simply speak with assisted living staff or a hospice worker, or read a pamphlet than read this book.
If you are an older person reading the book, you may find it more helpful or at least have more desire to make it through to glean the helpful content buried in the mess.
April 10, 2021
This book is a good read for teens with elder grandparents or parents. Hopefully they will never need to apply all the tips and ideas for dealing with dementia. Advise from professionals and interviews with teens this is a good reference. Chapters deal with living with an adult with dementia, visiting, activities and grief. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 25, 2022
this was extremely helpful and makes it very easy to know what to expect.
February 28, 2023
Thank you for this book! It is a very well done informational book written for teens on how to understand and handle dementia from the early stages to death. I appreciate Jean Rawitt making this information accessible to teens, who can contribute positively to the challenges of this aging disease.
There are many practical ideas on how to deflect difficult situations and activities to do with a loved one with dementia. I was surprised to see a chapter on what to expect surrounding dying and death. But it seems like a natural choice to include when discussing dementia because it is terminal and teens also need to know what to expect and what normal responses may be.
I will buy this for my 6th-12th grade library as soon as it is available.
There are many practical ideas on how to deflect difficult situations and activities to do with a loved one with dementia. I was surprised to see a chapter on what to expect surrounding dying and death. But it seems like a natural choice to include when discussing dementia because it is terminal and teens also need to know what to expect and what normal responses may be.
I will buy this for my 6th-12th grade library as soon as it is available.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews