Dr. Zoe A. Lewis makes a multidimensional and significant contribution to the field of Alzheimer’s disease in her remarkable book, "I hope they know…The Essential Handbook on Alzheimer’s Disease and Care." This quintessential book serves as a readable reference in one complete source—providing up-to-date relevant information on Alzheimer’s disease and treatments. She writes with compassion and dedication as she addresses quality of life issues and preservation of dignity of life for Alzheimer’s patients offering practical and comprehensive tools for their families.

Dr. Lewis incorporates medicine, art, science and a wide range of practical advice, integrating many diverse and complex topics into a clear, concise, and sensitively written text, resulting in a thoughtful and thought provoking book. Her task, exceptionally accomplished through her creativity, expertise, and genuine concern, is presented as an effortless project that I am sure it was not.

As an art therapist and an expressive arts therapist who has worked with individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, I especially appreciated the inclusion of the various art modalities and therapeutic art interventions included in the book. This was a pleasant addition to the usual dry books that offer “expert advice.” It presents the enormous problems of the current impact of Alzheimer’s disease, but also provides hope and offers real possibilities of a better life for Alzheimer’s patients and their families.

Each brief chapter contains a wealth of information. I had difficulty trying to think of a question Dr. Lewis did not address in this small but powerful book that is packed full of important information about so many important aspects of living with and caring for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Lewis is to be commended on this undertaking.

From the very first page Dr. Lewis shares the value she places on caring, her joy, and sincere compassion as she teaches others to care with empathy and teaches innovative skills. Well done, and thank you.

As a medical doctor and as the caregiver for two parents with dementia I found Dr. Lewis’s book a delight and a comfort. It confirmed many of the things I new or suspected about the disease. It offered hope in terms of the information about genetic risk. This was pertinent to me and my children considering my two parents with a dementing illness.  The sections on art and Alzheimer’s were intriguing. I have gone as a volunteer into nursing homes performing music and had some success with stimulating recall in demented patients. For example, one time I and a group of friends were performing when we happened to do a song from WWI.  An elderly woman, who, according to staff was generally unresponsive, literally broke out in tears during the piece and became more talkative than usual. It turns out, that this music was popular during the definitive period in her life when she met her husband. The music brought back beautiful memories to her. The sections on music therapy will give inspiration to those who may not know if it’s benefits.    Also there was also a lot of basic information about the disease written in clear, simple and richly detailed writing and a good list of Organizational contacts and resources at the back of the book. It is a very useful and supportive book. Thanks Zoë.
 
Joseph Karpicz M.D.
Hospitalist Program
North Shore Medical Center, Salem, Massachusetts

"Music therapy is a psychotherapeutic mode in clinical psychology that has a wide range of applications. As it can be adapted to individual patients, it holds great promises as a tool for additional treatment of patients with a number disorders. Kudos to Dr. Zoë  A. Lewis for including a chapter on music therapy in her book on Alzheimer’s disease and for using world-renowned Dr. Suzanne Hanser as the author. It adds great value to the book and will undoubtedly offer benefits to the readers."

Dr. Isabelle Frohne-Hagemann founded the Institute for Music, Imagery and Therapy (IMIT) in Berlin with two colleagues in order to promote acceptance of Guided Imagery and Music.

www.frohne-hagemann.de

As a neurologist and principal investigator in numerous Alzheimer's studies, I can unequivocally state that "I hope they know....The Essential Handbook on Alzheimer’s Disease and Care,” will provide extremely valuable information as well as much needed insight for caregivers and family members dealing with this disease. I highly recommend it as the essential resource it is intended to be.

With her book, I hope they know….The Essential Handbook on Alzheimer’s Disease and Care, Zoë A. Lewis, MD has made a significant contribution to the understanding of “how to live with Alzheimer’s disease”, covering the medical, financial, legal and ethical issues. That is not a small feat. There is a lot written about this condition, but no other book is as comprehensive in covering the legion of issues and questions that a patient or family member has to deal with if and when the disease strikes your family. Sadly, with growing numbers of the adult population affected one way or another by this disease, it is more a matter of when than of if - and the author deserves a lot of credit for making it possible for this large group of our citizens to be prepared.

Zoë Lewis’s passion for the subject and for those who live with Alzheimer’s springs to life on every page. The book is well structured, and her prose is clear, personal and without academic high-mindedness that often distances professionals from their readers – an attitude and style that perhaps most clearly are represented in her illustrations and photos.

Not many of us would be so fortunate as to have someone as compassionate and insightful as Dr. Zoë Lewis at your side when you are the patient, family member or other care giver facing Alzheimer’s disease. For all the rest of us, her book is the second best thing.