I Know You by Heart:

Navigating the Dementia Journey

By Angie Swetland

"To love someone is to learn their song and sing it to them when they have forgotten."

Navigating a dementia diagnosis is one of the most challenging journeys a family can undertake, often leaving caregivers feeling lost in a "rock-strewn path" of grief, confusion, and isolation. In "I Know You By Heart: Navigating the Dementia Journey," veteran eldercare executive Angie Swetland offers a compassionate, expert roadmap for families facing the complexities of Alzheimer’s and related brain-disabling illnesses.

Drawing from a forty-year career in senior care and her own deeply personal experience as a family caregiver, Swetland moves beyond clinical definitions to reveal the heart of the matter: though the mind may wander, the spirit remains whole.

Through a series of moving, real-world vignettes, you will discover:

• Practical Strategies for Daily Life: Master the "A, B, C" method and the "Five R’s" to manage challenging behaviors, from wandering and sundowning to catastrophic reactions.

• Navigating the Care Continuum: Clear guidance on when to seek a diagnosis, how to utilize home care, and what to really expect from assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.

• Communication Beyond Words: Techniques to connect through music, touch, and "therapeutic fibs" that preserve dignity and peace for your loved one.

• The Caregiver’s Survival Guide: Authentic support for the "reluctant caregiver," advice on reaching family consensus, and the vital importance of self-forgiveness.

This is more than a manual; it is an invitation to meet your loved one where they are—in the present moment. "I Know You by Heart" empowers you to see past the disease to the unique spirit that remains, teaching you how to sing their song back to them until the very end.