M D Leigh Smyth

Living with Alzheimer's M D Leigh Smyth

"Alzheimer's disease rewrites the terms of a marriage in this debut memoir... a touching personal account..." - Kirkus Reviews "... a concise and moving treatise that supports and informs caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. This book is required reading for family caretakers, clinicians, and others who simply wonder how to approach such afflictions." - D. Robert Aiello, Ph. D Writing from the vantage point of a spouse and mental health professional who has witnessed and cared for a loved one with Alzheimer's over the course of ten years, the author- a clinical psychiatrist- reveals the personal side of signs and symptoms of the disease beyond memory loss that make up the full developmental syndrome of Alzheimer's, including: distortion of memory erratic likes and dislikes oppositionality hoarding and miming behaviors irritability and mood instability personality changes loss of cognitive resilience judgment issues paranoia common psychological defenses against these progressive losses