Appreciating Mom through the Lens of Alzheimer's is an inspirational memoir that chronicles the challenges and cherished moments one man and his family share as they care for his mother in her final months. Uplifting, despite its subject matter, this is a delightful read even for those fortunate enough not to have experienced Alzheimer's in anyone close; yet it is extremely informative for those who are caregivers for a member of the family or a close friend.. Appreciating Mom through the Lens of Alzheimer's tells how Don Mesibov and his family turned what could have been a dark and dismal time in their lives into a wonderful opportunity to learn, grow, and celebrate life. An upbeat story of tenderness and sadness told with much humor and heartfelt emotion, it chronicles the challenges and joys of Don, Susan and their three children as caregivers for his mother, Rhoda, after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It memorializes how Rhoda's warm, friendly personality and love of life were not defeated by the disease, even when it rendered her incapable of processing anything but the simplest of thoughts. Comprised of journal entries, emails, and other writings from the time Don and his family cared for his mom, Appreciating Mom through the Lens of Alzheimer's is not just a book based on a true story-nor is it a memoir about the past, written after the fact. It is the story, as it unfolded at that time, documenting actual conversations, anecdotes, and events only shortly after they originally occurred.
About the Author: Don Mesibov is an author, journalist and professional educator whose portfolio showcases a wide variety of writing. He is co-author of three nonfiction books, including Captivating Classes with Constructivism, published by Rainmaker Education in 2013. He also co-authored two other titles on education published by Eye on Education in 2004. Mesibov previously worked as a weekly newspaper reporter, editor, and middle school English teacher. Since 1998 he has been writing a weekly on-line column on issues in education that reaches approximately three thousand professional educators, parents and others interested in the field of education. He is also an adjunct professor in the education department of St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and is founder and director of the Institute for Learning Centered Education which has sponsored a week-long conference each summer since 1995 that models teaching strategies for actively engaging students in the learning process. Currently, the author, Don Mesibov continues to work as an educational consultant conducting workshops for teachers, administrators, parents and students that focus on how to make learning fun, challenging, and meaningful.