I found my way to your book through a NCCA webinar with you a few years ago, and have re and re-read it this year, inspired by your work and that of all those committed to culture change around people with cognitive impairment. I am 26 days away from graduating with an MSW and interested to explore any opportunity to connect with the culture change movement. Several posts back, you mention a summer institute for 2011. Is that happening? Any info? Any leads or suggestions of people here in Los Angeles to contact around this work?

Thanks for the gift of your book and your incisive and innovative work. I hope we will cross paths in the future.

Best to you,
Sarah Jacobus
MSW candidate 2011, University of Southern California

Just a note to say thank you so much for writing your excellent book! It has changed my view on working with people who suffer with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and with their families. You have given me wonderful tools to truly help people with dementia, and their families, to experience the fullest amount of life possible in their brief remaining years. I am grateful. Comment on Amazon: “Forget Memory: Creating Better Lives for People with Dementia” by Anne Davis Basting. This book provides excellent information on wonderful programs that are being used successfully in creating better lives for people with Alheimer’s and other forms of dementia. As this book documents, these programs produce positive results in the lives of the person with dementia, and the family. These programs give families a deeper level of appreciation and understanding of the person with dementia, and provide families with tools that enhance the life of the person with dementia so that the remaining years may be as meaningful and full of life as possible. It is well written and well documented. I was introduced to this book by a teacher who required it for our text in my college Gerontology class on Alzheimer’s and Other Forms of Dementia. I plan to use these various programs when I have an opportunity to do so in working with those suffering with dementia. I highly recommend this small, easy to read book for those who are truly looking to understand people with dementia, how to reach them, and how to help families and caregivers successfully interact with people with dementia. The wonderful programs discussed in this book, Naomi Feil’s Validation Therapy, the Green House Model, and the Eden Alternative Model, all offer positive, productive tools that may be implemented to create better lives for people with dementia and their families.]

I lived in Milwaukee for a long time and an now in LA. I brought my Mom out here last year, because I knew I needed to be with her in these final stages.

I have a blog about our experiences you might like to read.

More later…I just wanted to thank you for this “statistic free” book and want to help share it with more people. Alzheimer’s aside, it’s also a wonderful way to look at life.