The Experience of Alzheimer's Disease

follow Dr. B, Mrs. D and Dr. M and the others through various real life episodes we begin to see that there are possibilities for the enhancement of the lives of even the most seriously disadvantaged, provided we continue to view them as people who are, in all that really matters, like ourselves." Rom Harre, Linacre College Oxford "In his deep commitment to discovering and honoring the experience of selfhood, Sabat has penetrated the tangled veil of Alzheimera s to reveal with illuminating scholarship, uncommon empathy, and profoundly skilled listening, the enduring humanity of persons with the disease." Lisa Snyder, MSW, University of California, San Diego and Alzheimera s Disease Research Center. "Rarely has a book so amply fulfilled the promise of its title! Steven Sabata s unique ability to interpret the life worlds of his patients, his scholarly grasp of the research literature, and his vivid case histories, set a new standard in understanding the experience of Alzheimera s Disease. In an age of neuroscience and genetic determinism, his book is a timely reminder that mental disorder, even in cases of obvious "brain disease", may be a product as much of dysfunctional treatments as of dysfunctional brains. " K.W.M. Fulford, University of Oxford & University of Warwick. "This is truly a humane and scholarly treatise on the lived experience of Alzheimera s disease. Sabat guides us beyond the shattered biomedical world of patients diagnosed with dementia to reveal them still as people with intact capabilities. A "must read" for anyone involved in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of AD." Phyllis Braudy Harris, John Carroll University. "This is a "must read" for any practitioner whose clientele includes patients with Alzheimera s disease. It combines humanity, humility and a clear conceptual framework that can be put to practical use. While captivating the reader, Sabat provides insights that can be extremely helpful in clinical practice and program development". Michael Gordon, University of Toronto, Canadian Medical Association Journal, February 2002 "Sabat has written a complex, thought--provoking book which aims to give some insight into the subjective experience of Alzheimera s disease. [...] The book is interspersed with the voices of Alzheimera s disease patients and Sabat displays warmth, empathy and respect for the individuals described." R Clafferty, Forth Valley Primary Care NHS Trust, Psychiatric Bulletin, January 2003 "this book is a rich source of people with dementias' experiences of having the condition, described using many examples of their own words and conversations ... provides a useful insight into what it might feel like to have dementia, and challenges us to reflect on how we interact with people with the condition. It is thus a useful text for psychiatrists and students alike who want a basic grounding in social theories as applicable to dementia and an evidence base for person--centred approaches to dementia care, and is a rich source of data for those who already ascribe to this philosophy." Claire Surr, Bradford Dementia Group, Bulletin of Mental Health in Old Age, September 2004