The Long Farewell
A Caregiver's Journey Through Alzheimer's with Love, Loss, and Lessons Learnedd
Sign In or Register Now to see if this title is available for request.
Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org Buy on KoboSend NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Sep 15 2026 | Archive Date Jan 2 2027
ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Primary Press
Talking about this book? Use #TheLongFarewell #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
The Long Farewell is not a book about Alzheimer’s disease alone. It is about what Alzheimer’s does to two people who love each other.
When Robert M. Fleisher’s beloved partner, Lynn, received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, their lives changed forever. What followed was a long journey through memory loss, difficult decisions, daily frustrations, and a goodbye that unfolded while the person he loved was still beside him.
The Long Farewell: A Caregiver’s Journey Through Alzheimer’s with Love, Loss, and Lessons Learned is both an intimate memoir and a practical companion for those facing the uncertainties of caregiving. With candor and compassion, Fleisher explores the gradual loss of language, memory, and independence—and the devotion that can endure through it all.
Alongside his personal account, Fleisher examines Alzheimer’s disease, its science, symptoms, treatments, and theories. He shares the emotional challenges and practical lessons of caring for a partner, offering insights he wishes he had received at the beginning.
Written for caregivers, family members, friends, and healthcare professionals, The Long Farewell brings a human perspective to an illness whose effects reach far beyond the person diagnosed. It offers understanding and companionship to those navigating grief, responsibility, and an uncertain future.
Above all, it is a story of enduring love—and a reminder that those who care for someone with Alzheimer’s need care and understanding, too.
Unlike a clinical medical guide, this work focuses on the lived experience of Alzheimer’s from the caregiver’s perspective: the heartbreaks, the moral dilemmas, the strange moments of humor and tenderness, and the effort to preserve dignity and connection during irreversible decline.
The narrative also addresses broader themes of aging, mortality, resilience, memory, and what remains of love when cognition fades. While deeply personal, the book is intended to provide comfort, recognition, and companionship for others facing similar journeys.
More than a memoir. More than a caregiver’s guide. A love story that will stay with you long after the final page.
Advance Praise
The Long Farewell puts a human face on one of the greatest health challenges of our time. By illuminating the devastating consequences of Alzheimer's disease for patients and families alike, it reinforces why prevention, early intervention, and public awareness must become national priorities. Every policymaker, healthcare professional, and family member should read this book.
David Perlmutter, MD
Neurologist and Author, #1 New York Times bestseller, Grain Brain and Brain Defenders
The evils that Alzheimer’s disease wreaks on the patient and on the patient’s loved ones cannot be characterized in a few words. The Long Farewell conveys the course and the curse of the disease with stark clarity, and it profoundly conveys the grief this dire disease brings to those who have formed a close bond with the patient. In some cases, the individual with the disease may seem to accept it, while loved ones continue to suffer. Alzheimer's is a demon. It steals a person's soul while leaving the body apparently intact.
Michael Jorrin, aka Doc Gumshoe
The Long Farewell is a heartbreaking, emotional love story. It educates readers about Alzheimer’s Disease, the symptoms, and treatments to support patients. The author gives a very thorough description of the development of Alzheimer’s Disease, even suggesting a theory involving the immune system.
This book offers very helpful advice on managing Alzheimer’s Disease physically, emotionally, and technically.
Everyone should read this book. While no family can be certain it will escape the reach of Alzheimer’s disease, those who do read it will be far better prepared to face one of life’s most devastating challenges.
Luba Velgorsky, M.D. ASCP
As someone who has spent my career educating others about dementia and supporting caregivers, I was struck by the honesty and vulnerability of The Long Farewell. Fleisher shares the dementia journey not as a clinician or researcher, but as someone who has lived it day by day. The result is a book that is both informative and deeply human. Readers will come away with a greater understanding of dementia, a deeper appreciation for caregivers, and a reminder of the importance of compassion in the midst of a challenging condition.
Dr. Elaine M. Eshbaugh
Professor of Gerontology; Dementia Simulation House Director
NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative
How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.
Winnie the Pooh
Marketing Plan
Promotion includes an author website featuring a book trailer and endorsements, blog content about Alzheimer’s and caregiving, and digital review-copy distribution through the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781966175346 |
| PRICE | $4.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 190 |