Cover Image: Our Dementia Journey

Our Dementia Journey

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Member Reviews

I am currently going through a jounrey with my Grandfather who we thought had dementia but a couple of months ago got dianosed with a terminal end stage brain tumour. Therefore this was both a hard read but also a compfrting one, I saw so much of my grandfather in the authors dad.
An utterly heartbreaking, thought provoking and yet also full of hope and insights. A wonderful collection of poems

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Dementia is a disease that literally robs people of experiencing and remembering life. As a neurology nurse practitioner I work with patients, caregivers, and family members who are impacted by dementia’s of various types and this is probably one of the hardest illnesses for families to deal with as they watch their loved one change before their eyes. I will be recommending this book to my newly diagnosed patients.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

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An affecting, sometimes heartbreaking collection of poems about living and caring for a father with dementia. Much was relatable to my own life, having taken care of an elder grandmother, and some was particular to the author's experience. A wide variety of poems though some do become repetitive later in the book.

Recommended for those who have or will some day be dealing with a similar journey.

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This is a touching collection of poetry that would be appropriate for those who have ever had a loved one diagnosed with Dementia. Then emotions are raw in the emotional collection. It was nice to have poems from various perspectives. I like how the author included information on how readers could submit poetry to Poems for Dementia's website. This book is a good reminder that the reader and their loved one aren't alone in the Dementia journey.

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Having never written poetry before, Patrick has released a collection of thoughtful and informative poems documenting the struggles of caring for a parent with Dementia.

Though I have never had a family member diagnosed with Dementia, I've known quite a few community members who have. Reading this was a great insight into the heartbreak, frustrations, and love necessary for their care. I enjoyed reading poems from different perspectives. It really felt like I was hearing the thoughts of his father and the disconnect between memory and mind. The mildest thought I had was that some of the poems felt formulaic. It was as though the author felt like he *had* to rhyme, which made some lines a little too wordy. Outside of that, I was impressed with how Patrick was able to convey his emotions. This is something I'll be recommending to family and friends that can find comfort in these poems.

The end of the book has information on how to submit poetry. If you or someone you love has Dementia I recommend you check out the Poems For Dementia website. Even if you don't view yourself as a poet it could be beneficial to write what you feel or read other people's thoughts to ensure that you're not alone. https://www.poemsfordementia.com/

All proceeds from this book go towards Alzheimers Research UK to find preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia.

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