Voices of Dementia Carers

Over 390,000 Australians are living with some form of dementia. All of these people have at least one carer who helps them live their lives with the best quality of life possible. Being a dementia carer is one of the most difficult things to do. It is time-consuming, challenging, frustrating, life-changing and often very stressful. Many books have been written to tell the dementia sufferers' stories and how people can help them, but few books have been written just for dementia carers. This book is especially for the carers. It is all about how they feel and how they can get help and support. The first chapter asks the question, "How did you, the carer, feel when the person you look after was diagnosed with dementia?" Each chapter poses a question which is answered by several wonderful carers who have shared their ideas and feelings to make this book possible. The message in the book is to tell dementia carers that they are not alone in the dementia carer's journey and that other carers understand. The book includes information about organisations that provide help and support, and provides tips for carers. This book is also for the friends of dementia carers to help them to understand what it means to be a carer and how much the carer needs their friendship, understanding and support.

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Acknowledgements iii Foreword v About This Book vii Introduction 1 Understanding the Disease 5 Getting Support 27 Dealing with Patient Behaviour and Feelings 42 Coping with Life as a Carer 51 Activities to Help Keep Dementia Patients Busy 81 Tips for Carers 83 Humorous Things That Happen 86 What Is Needed from Government 90 Where to Find Assistance 93

About the Author :
Helene McCarthy has four children and eleven grandchildren and has recently turned seventy years young. She lives with her husband in Cairns, far north Queensland. As two of their children live close by, she is blessed with seven grandchildren in Cairns. Helene was an Army wife for many years, and her husband is a Vietnam Veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, diabetes, and now Alzheimer's Dementia, diagnosed in 2011. They have been married for fifty years, and during her husband's career, the family lived in all the eastern states of Australia, as well as Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. In 1993 Helene was diagnosed with breast cancer. Doctors told her that, with three operations and extensive treatment, she should live for five, maybe ten years. After recovering from the surgery, she started on her bucket list, travelling to many places in Australia, taking thousands of photographs, some of which have been enlarged and framed, and are displayed in her home. Helene holds two university degrees, after beginning her studies at forty-eight. She has also been a swimming instructor for able-bodied and disabled children, and a remedial tutor. In 2000 she wrote and published her first book, A Quiet Hero, about a World War II Army Chaplain and prisoner of war. When Helene's husband was diagnosed with dementia, she had little knowledge of the disease. She contacted Alzheimer's Australia and borrowed several books from their library. Since then, she has read many more books, attended four courses run by Alzheimer's Australia and completed a short course on dementia through the University of Tasmania. She noticed that there were many books published about dementia: what it is, how it affects the patients and how people can help them. The lack of books specifically for dementia carers compelled Helene to start this book project. She wanted to highlight the carers' hopes, fears, stress, struggles and shattered dreams. After she had consulted several other carers, this book came to fruition. As Helene explains: "When I wrote the book about the Army Chaplain, I met many wonderful people. Telling the story seemed an absolute privilege for me. A similar thing happened with this book when I contacted so many amazing dementia carers. I firmly believe this book will bring other dementia carers comfort and help others understand what it is to be a dementia carer. "I am very lucky to have great support from my family as I travel along the road of looking after my husband for as long as possible. I know that many others sadly lack such support and understanding. "As I have always been a practical person, I investigate a situation, do my research and deal with the reality so I can move on with life. This was my approach to having cancer, and this is what I am doing now. "How do I see the future? I will look after my husband at home until it is time for him to go into nursing care. So far, and in many ways, my life has been an adventure, and I'm looking forward to the next part of my adventure."