Your Name Is Hughes Hannibal Shanks: A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's

When the doctors told Lela Shanks that Alzheimer's would render her husband totally helpless, she was given no instructions on how to manage his disease at home. It was understood that Alzheimer's patients were destined for institutional care. Undaunted, she cared for Hughes at home for the next thirteen years until his peaceful death in 1998. In "Your Name Is Hughes Hannibal Shanks," Lela Shanks sets forth the knowledge and wisdom that made all the difference. She describes her initial denial, her gradual acceptance, and her discovery that the key to successful caregiving lies in never losing sight of the patient's humanity. Shanks details the symptoms and stages of the disease, sets forth practical techniques for managing problems such as wandering and incontinence, and outlines twenty coping and survival strategies for caregivers.