“Dementia not only changed my mother forever, it changed me in profound ways too.”

Winner of 2019 grand prize from Royal Dragonfly Book Awards , an international competition that “honors excellence in all types of literature.” The book not only earned the $500 grand prize but also won first place in the aging/senior living, how-to, and self-help/inspirational categories.

The statistics are brutal. One in three seniors die with Alzheimer’s or another kind of dementia while 15 million family caregivers care for someone with the disease.

I’m Your Daughter, Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia is written by award-winning journalist and author, Julie A. Gorges, who was the primary caregiver for her mother suffering from Lewy Body dementia.

Sharing her intimate story, Gorges provides a compassionate and supportive guidebook to help caregivers cope with the many difficult challenges they will face while caring for their own needs at the same time. With gut-wrenching honesty, Gorges shares her own roller coaster ride of emotions, mistakes she made along the way, and all the ups and downs of this life-changing experience that is fulfilling as well as difficult and painful.

The book is concise since Gorges realizes from personal experience that a caregiver’s time is limited, but covers a wide range of essential topics including:

* how to recognize early symptoms and get an accurate diagnosis

*available treatments and lifestyle changes

* ways to ensure a person with dementia stays physically healthy

* strategies to help caregivers communicate as the disease progresses

* how to deal with behavior issues such as wandering, agitation, sleep issues, hallucinations, behaviors, and aggression

* tips on how caregivers can cope and care for their own needs during this difficult time

* options available to caregivers including in-home caregiving services, assisted living, nursing homes, and hospice

* what to expect during the final stages of dementia

Unlike some guidebooks on the subject, this book walks caregivers through the entire process to the end of the journey to help them cope and move forward after a loved one dies. Gorges wholeheartedly believes there are many things people can do to make life more dignified and enjoyable during this challenging time. I’m Your Daughter Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia is a must-read for those embarking on this difficult, but in the end worthwhile journey of caregiving.