Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
1: Normal and Abnormal Cognitive Changes
2: Seeking Answers: State-of-the-Art Evaluation
3: The Spectrum of Neurocognitive Disorders
4: Alzheimer’s Disease
5: Vascular Dementia
6: Frontotemporal Dementia
7: Dementia with Lewy Bodies
8: Neurocognitive Disorders Due to Medical Causes
9: Caregiving in Mild Stages
10: Caregiving in Moderate Stages
11: Caregiving in Advanced Stages
12: Depression, Anxiety, Sleep and Apathy
13: Agitation and Psychosis
14: Dealing with Medical Issues
15: Caring for the Caregiver
16: Legal Issues
17: Long-Term Care
18: Resources

About the Author

Marc E. Agronin, M.D., is a board-certified adult and geriatric psychiatrist who currently serves as the Vice President for Behavioral Health and Clinical Research at the Miami Jewish Health Systems, Florida’s largest long-term care provider. He is also an Affiliate Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He is a graduate of Harvard University and the Yale School of Medicine, and completed his training in psychiatry at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Agronin is a nationally-recognized expert in late-life mental illness and was named the “Clinician of the Year” by the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry in 2008. He is a prolific author whose articles and blogs have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, and Scientific American Mind, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Today Show, CNN, and National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation” and “On Point.” Agronin is the author of numerous articles and books in the field of psychiatry, including the acclaimed book How We Age: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of Growing Old.

Reviews

According to Agronin (Miami Jewish Health Systems), Alzheimer’s disease is currently the most common neurocognitive disease (NCD), and such cases are expected to quadruple worldwide within the next 50 years: surely the need for well-informed caregivers will also increase. Inspired by his long professional experience with NCD patients, Agronin offers an easy-to-understand guide for anyone who serves as a nonprofessional caregiver. An introduction briefly explains the book’s purpose and describes requisite yet attainable characteristics of caregivers. The bulk of the material offers definitions of NCDs, including their known or suspected causes; recommended courses of action to take as a disease intensifies; and best practices for maintaining a person’s quality of life. Equally important topics deal with respite time for the caregiver, possible legal matters, and long-term care. The final chapter is a convenient list of relevant organization names and contact information. . . . VERDICT This practical guide outlines a sensible approach to providing quality care and is therefore highly recommended for anyone who is committed to serving as a caregiver.
*Library Journal*

The Dementia Caregiver: A Guide to Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's Disease and Other Neurocognitive Disorders is an easy-to-read training manual for caregivers. The book helps readers gain a better understanding of what is happening to their loved one.
*The Miami Herald*

The Dementia Caregiver is an essential guide for anyone caring for a loved one affected with a dementing illness, like Alzheimer’s. Dr. Agronin has drawn on science and his extensive clinical experience to produce a readable handbook that offers technical and practical information for new and experienced caregivers. The book acknowledges that the caregiver has assumed a new role – what others have called “a new career;” this book is an enormously helpful caregiver job training manual.
*Kenneth Hepburn, PhD, Professor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University*

The Dementia Caregiver is a well-organized, thorough and practical guide for caregivers. It is accessible to the layman, but would be useful to professionals, as well. It does not ignore difficult or delicate matters, nor does it neglect the importance of maintaining dignity for the affected person. I would consider this a useful addition to my library.
*Bette Ann Moskowitz, author of Do I Know You? A Family's Journey Through Aging and Alzheimer's*