The Poetics And Politics Of Alzheimers Disease Life Writing

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This is the first book-length exploration of the thoughts and experiences expressed by dementia patients in published narratives over the last thirty years. It contrasts third-person caregiver and first-person patient accounts from different languages and a range of media, focusing on the poetical and political questions these narratives raise: what images do narrators appropriate; what narrative plot do they adapt; and how do they draw on established strategies of life-writing. It also analyses how these accounts engage with the culturally dominant Alzheimer’s narrative that centres on dependence and vulnerability, and addresses how they relate to discourses of gender and aging. Linking literary scholarship to the medico-scientific understanding of dementia as a neurodegenerative condition, this book argues that, first, patients’ articulations must be made central to dementia discourse; and second, committed alleviation of caregiver burden through social support systems and altered healthcare policies requires significantly altered views about aging, dementia, and Alzheimer’s patients.

This is the first book-length exploration of the thoughts and experiences expressed by dementia patients in published narratives over the last thirty years. It contrasts third-person caregiver and first-person patient accounts from different languages and a range of media, focusing on the poetical and political questions these narratives raise: what images do narrators appropriate; what narrative plot do they adapt; and how do they draw on established strategies of life-writing. It also analyses how these accounts engage with the culturally dominant Alzheimer's narrative that centres on dependence and vulnerability, and addresses how they relate to discourses of gender and aging. Linking literary scholarship to the medico-scientific understanding of dementia as a neurodegenerative condition, this book argues that, first, patients' articulations must be made central to dementia discourse; and second, committed alleviation of caregiver burden through social support systems and altered healthcare policies requires significantly altered views about aging, dementia, and Alzheimer's patients. This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

This is the first book-length exploration of the thoughts and experiences expressed by dementia patients in published narratives over the last thirty years. It contrasts third-person caregiver and first-person patient accounts from different languages and a range of media, focusing on the poetical and political questions these narratives raise: what images do narrators appropriate; what narrative plot do they adapt; and how do they draw on established strategies of life-writing. It also analyses how these accounts engage with the culturally dominant Alzheimer's narrative that centres on dependence and vulnerability, and addresses how they relate to discourses of gender and aging. Linking literary scholarship to the medico-scientific understanding of dementia as a neurodegenerative condition, this book argues that, first, patients' articulations must be made central to dementia discourse; and second, committed alleviation of caregiver burden through social support systems and altered healthcare policies requires significantly altered views about aging, dementia, and Alzheimer's patients.

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This is the first book-length exploration of the thoughts and experiences expressed by dementia patients in published narratives over the last thirty years. It contrasts third-person caregiver and first-person patient accounts from different languages and a range of media, focusing on the poetical and political questions these narratives raise: what images do narrators appropriate; what narrative plot do they adapt; and how do they draw on established strategies of life-writing. It also analyses how these accounts engage with the culturally dominant Alzheimer’s narrative that centres on dependence and vulnerability, and addresses how they relate to discourses of gender and aging. Linking literary scholarship to the medico-scientific understanding of dementia as a neurodegenerative condition, this book argues that, first, patients’ articulations must be made central to dementia discourse; and second, committed alleviation of caregiver burden through social support systems and altered healthcare policies requires significantly altered views about aging, dementia, and Alzheimer’s patients.

This book examines writings by people living with Alzheimer's Disease and their caregivers. Its focus areas include the construction of the self in the face of diminishing linguistic and cognitive abilities, the stigmatization of ageing, the various narrative strategies that these texts (often collaborative) employ, the health activism and advocacy generated via a 'biosociality,' and the ethics of care. It examines the 'disease writing' genre about a condition that ravages the ability to use language. It serves as a "literary" examination of the work done in this area through a critical reading of the memoirs of those with AD and caregivers and a healthy dose of literary theory. The book is a valuable resource for those interested in literary and critical theory and researchers in the field of ageing/dementia studies.

This is a literary collection that illuminates the darkness of Alzheimer's disease. It is a unique collection of poetry and short prose about the disease written by 100 contemporary writers - doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, daughters, sons, wives, and husbands - whose lives have been touched by the disease.

Alzheimer's Angels is a compilation of poetry honoring the caregivers and victims of this cruel disease. These poems reflect the true stories and spirit not only my own mother, but countless others who have braved the same journey. It is my sincere hope that something in these words will speak comfort and hope to your own hurting heart.

A poignant account in poetic verse of one man’s journey with his wife, into the all-encompassing realm of her dementia.

Authored by a neurologist who started writing poetry after his father's previously unknown artistic talent was revealed in the throes of Alzheimer's disease, "A Heart That Knows Your Name" is a collection of poetry and song lyrics inspired by the lives, art and stories of persons living with dementia and their care partners. Expressing both "the cry of a heart near death from exsanguination and the song of a soul enraptured in thanksgiving," Potts writes with insight from his own soul space, empathetically attempting to enter the lives of persons living with dementia and their care partners while drawing from relationships fostered during the approximately 20 years since his father developed Alzheimer's. Though not shying away from denial, grief, loss and burn-out that often characterize care partners' experience, the poetry's overarching themes include hope, resilience, creativity, spirituality, growth, faith, compassion, gratitude and love.

The Teaser Carolyn started this journey by keeping a daily journal and from that her poetry started to flow and now a book The gift of writing these poems came out of the long, lonely journey with her husband Chuck who had Alzheimer’s. The poems speak of the love, the struggles and the heartaches that a caregiver has to go through, taking care of a loved one. I was not a writer but felt inspired to write my feelings as it helped me get through the days and the years ahead. I was able to lose myself and get lost for a time in my writings. I pray that you can gain some understanding, and comfort as you read these poems.