I Am Somebody: Bringing Dignity and Compassion to Alzheimer’s Caregiving

by Frances H. Kakugawa | Watermark Publishing, 2014

The challenges of Alzheimer’s disease—the physical burdens, financial costs, emotional turmoil and family strife—can reduce our loved one to a “he” or a “she,” a person almost devoid of humanity. As caregivers, our lives revolve around the basics, like doctor’s appointments and dressing, feeding and cleaning up after our loved ones. Their life becomes our life; our life becomes theirs. But who are they now that this disease has taken over? And just as important, who are we?

I Am Somebody: Bringing Dignity and Compassion to Alzheimer’s Caregiving is a unique guide for using poetry and journaling to become a more compassionate caregiver—a therapeutic tool offering advice and insights from men and women who have made this difficult journey. This revealing book is a reminder that both loved one and caregiver deserve compassion, respect and a life with dignity. Each one of us is somebody.