One Day at a Time is the expression used by many families to describe how they manage living with a devasting illness like dementia. Based on a two-year qualitative study, this book explores the nature of, and changes in, the family context and family interaction when one member of the household comes to be identified as having dementia. Given the increasing size of the population over the age of 65, this is becoming an increasingly important issue. A very useful book for all professionals and others, wishing to learn about families’ experience of dementia. It provides a deeper understanding of the variation and complexity in the ways that families handle this overwhelming life event. It also gives a comprehensive overview of the current level of knowledge in the field, and points out the importance of a family perspective in dementia care. The reader will learn much from this book, through being moved by the sympathetic and detailed narratives of the families’ lived experiences. The special knowledge thus gained would be difficult to acquire by means of exclusively theoretical studies.
Christina Salstrom, Assistant Professor Umea University, Sweden This important book brings many levels and perspectives together in an attempt to understand and treat dementia: theoretical and practical; professional and client-oriented; objective and subjective; social, family, and individual. As one touching sentence of the book expresses, it aids individuals and families in “finding a way out of the black forest’ or, at least it helps to shed some light into this dark period of human existence which is increasing with prevalence. Matti Isohanni, M.D., Ph.D., Head, Professor of Psychiatry Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland Given the current trend toward community and home care of older people with cognitive impairments, One Day At a Time makes an important contribution to our understanding of caregiving. The keen attention given to both experiences of elders and caregivers provides relevant coping and management strategies for professional practice. It will be required reading for my gerontology classes. K. Victor Ujimoto, Ph.D. Gerontology Research Centre, University of Guelph Longitudinal case studies which describe the course of dementia and the resulting challenge and effect on the family support network as well as the formal caregivers are rare. This study provides impressive information and insights. The authors provide the reader with; an exceptional literature review and theoretical framework; vivid and expressive analyses, fascinating case studies with graphic illustrations, advancements of theory; practical guidelines for caregivers and planners. Few academic books provide all that! Many categories in the field of aging, as well as family members caring for a demented, will find deep, new insights. Gillis Samuelsson, Gerontology Research Center, Lund, Sweden
