When I picked up Memory Lessons: A Doctor's Story by Jerald Winakur, I didn't realize what a great book this was going to be. Part memoir of the author's life, his relationship with his parents and the struggle as his father descends into dementia as well as Dr. Winakur's perspective on the state of medicine today.
We can only hope that we all are able to have a doctor like Dr. Winakur. His compassion for his patients runs rampant throughout the book but I think it's important to note that despite his specialty of geriatric medicine, he still struggles with the care of his parents as they each age but also as his dad progresses further and further into dementia. I think we all feel like we don't do enough or don't feel successful when dealing with dementia care or senior care of our aging parents, especially when dementia robs them of their memory and basic abilities. Sometimes it takes many tries to figure out what will work and then realize that it might be only a temporary fix. Flexibility is the key and realizing that it's the disease that's causing the issues and the person is not doing it willfully.
Another aspect of the book is how Dr. Winakur's mother, despite her declining physical health continues to have her husband living at home with her. Most people want to remain living in their homes rather than going to an assisted living facility or nursing home. By finding help from an organization like ours, Seniors Helping Seniors, we can help with respite care, allowing the primary caregiver a break from their day to day care giving duties. We can also help with companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation and more. As your parents age, you are doing more and more of these services for them and probably not spending "quality" time with them. By engaging with a company like ours in Montgomery County or Bucks County, we can help with these services allowing you to enjoy the time you spend with your parents.
If you have any interest in senior care or dementia care, I would say this is definitely a book to put on you reading list!