Material on dementia and related care created by reputed entities is available free on the Internet, including downloadable manuals. However, as many persons prefer books, this page lists books specially selected for Indian family caregivers, provides brief descriptions of each, along with whether the book is available as paperback, hardcover, and/ or as Kindle ebook, as well as some links to obtain the book. The page is regularly revised to include good recent and affordable books and remove more expensive, unavailable books. Some things to keep in mind:
- No book, howsoever good, can be exhaustive in terms of topics or coverage.
- Names of organizations, resources or product brands, or product-specific tips may be outdated.
- Descriptions of available support and support-specific suggestions may be not be relevant if the book was written for a different culture/ country.
- While some books are aimed at Alzheimer’s Disease, caregiving tips in such books are helpful even for other dementias.
Please use the book descriptions below as well as the Amazon description and reader comments to evaluate a book. Use the books as a starting point, supplement with other books, reliable websites and other reliable information, and be alert that the current situation and support may be different from what the book assumes/ recommends. If considering a Kindle ebook, read the Kindle sample to see if the style and content coverage suit your need. Some books below are available free on Kindle Unlimited.
- Books on dementia and care (English).
- Books on dementia and care in Indian Languages (Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, and Marathi books).
- Books focused on home nursing.
- Books where Indian caregivers share personal experiences and thoughts.
- Books written by persons with dementia, describing their experiences of living with dementia.
- Books written specifically to explain dementia to children.
- Other India-based books around dementia: fiction, ethnographic studies, etc.
- Additional references for book suggestions, free resources, etc..
Note that many books listed in various sections below are not created specially for India, and assume a different cultural context and level of support systems.
Books on dementia and care (English).
There are several books that explain dementia and related care. The selected International books included below are exceptionally usable by caregivers because of the range of topics, the friendly and easy-to-understand language, and a structure friendly for caregivers to appreciate the situation and take action. While readers may need to adapt some advice because it is not applicable in India, the books are useful enough to make the overall reading experience well worth it. The list below also includes a number of Indian publications.
Main International books recommended.
The 36–Hour Day – A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss (Nancy L Mace, Peter V Rabins): In my opinion, this is a must-read book, and covers an impressive range of topics. It is a classic, almost like a definitional book, so much so that doctors involved with caregivers often tell them, ‘we know you have a 36 hour day.’ The link is given for the latest edition, but older editions are just as useful, and may be easier to borrow or cheaper to buy. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window (6th ed), or, if you are in India, see Amazon.in Opens in new window (6th ed) or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it (6th ed) at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Coping with Behavior Change in Dementia: A Family Caregiver’s Guide (Beth Spencer, Laurie White):This book discusses why behavior changes happen in dementia and discusses some general approaches. It also looks at each possible behavior change, explains possible causes for that change, and gives several practical tips for both preventing and handling the behavior. This book is an excellent day-to-day reference to have. It is a go-to book for behavior challenges, and organized in a very friendly way. Highly recommended. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. It is free on Kindle Unlimited. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window .
Breaking Dementia: Finding Acceptance and Hope for This Journey (Rick Phelps, Leeanne Chames): This book is very different from most dementia care books because it is written by someone diagnosed with Early Onset AD (Rick Phelps) and a caregiver who has cared for two persons with dementia (Leeanne Chames). Both authors are also administrators of one of the largest and more effective online support forum for dementia (the Facebook group, Memory People). The book provides valuable insight from both, and can be very helpful for readers to understand the impact of dementia and enable acceptance of the situation along with empowering advice for realistic coping. Very different from the typical books written by professionals, this perspective can be eye-opening and life-changing. Highly recommended. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window [new window [newwinwo. The paperback is not yet available at Amazon.in (you can order from Amazon.com or try some other vendor)
This book is available as a Kindle eBook. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Indian publications on dementia and care.
Handbook of Dementia (eds: Nilamadhab Kar, David Jolley, Baikunthanath Misra): This is a 438 page medical textbook (second edition: 2010) with chapters written by various experts. It is a good reference text for a range of dementia topics like dementia-causing diseases, behavior changes, person-centric care, etc., and includes many chapters directly useful for caregivers, with topics like handling behaviors, occupational therapy, legal issues, caregiver well-being, etc. Available at Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
Understanding Dementia: Disease, Treatment & Care (ed. Prof Shyamal Kumar Das): This relatively slim 2009 book has chapters by different authors and provides a useful overview of various types of dementia, the diagnosis process, changed behavior, etc. It explains the symptoms well and includes many relevant illustrations. Coverage on how to care is low, however. Available through the ARDSI Kolkata chapter. See their page Opens in new window.
Remember Me: You Me and Dementia (Sailesh Mishra, Silver Innings): This 250-page book released in Oct 2017 is a compilation of dementia and care information and experiences from multiple sources. The technical and scientific content included (explaining dementia and care) is courtesy ARDSI Kolkata Chapter. The book includes short personal stories and poems around dementia from India and outside to give insight about the impact of dementia, and some articles by experts. The information for caregivers to understand dementia and care is useful and reliable, but the organization of the book is not explained or intuitive, therefore readers may find it difficult to get a comprehensive overview of what care involves, or to locate a specific topic. The 2017 version book could have been better and more usable with clearer structuring and better editing. Paperback is available at Amazon.in Opens in new window (or contact silverinnings@gmail.com). The book is also available as a Kindle eBook. See Amazon.in Kindle ebookOpens in new window or Amazon.com Kindle ebook Opens in new window. A new paperback edition was released in Oct 2021 with some restructuring, but the Kindle version is still the old 2017 version.
The Home Stretch: A Family Caregiver’s Handbook (Sanjay Dattatri): This is a very useful book for caregivers, published in Oct 2021, written for the Indian context and with a practical style addressing multiple care issues, explaining them and giving usable suggestions that can be applied in India. The book discusses all type of care and also has some sections for dementia. The writing is smooth and direct. Topics include fundamentals of family caregiving, bedridden care, managing hired help, medication, hospitalization, palliative care, self care etc. Some caution: some specific advice in the book may become dated as the publication gets older. Use the book as a starting point, and supplement with concepts and advice from other sources that more exclusively address individual topics. Unfortunately, while the book does suggest searching the Internet for additional detail or specific help for some topics/ resources, it does not include suggested further reading or reliable, authoritative websites. The book is available as paperback at Amazon.in Opens in new window and as a Amazon.in Kindle ebookOpens in new window and very reasonably priced.
Care, Learn, Share: A guide for Alzheimer’s Caregivers (Dr Soumya Hegde and Wing Commander (Retd.) D P Sabharwal): This is a simply written small book that gives a useful introduction to salient aspects of dementia and also explains multiple care aspects and how to tackle challenges. It includes discussions on both care of the person with dementia as well as caregiver self-care. Approximately 110 pages long, the writing is straightforward and easy to understand. Contact aerosaby@gmail.com or 90350 00140 to get a copy.
Books on dementia and care in Indian Languages (Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, and Marathi books).
Dementia Paricharyya (Bengali) ডিমেনশিয়ায় পরিচর্যা (Ed. Nilanjana Maulik): This slender, modestly-priced Bengali book explains day-to-day dementia care to caregivers. Topics covered include description of dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, comparison of dementia with aging, how to interact with someone who has dementia, explanations and tips for several topics like communication, bathing and cleaning, various daily activities, healthy living, and also problems like depression, hallucinations and delusions. Coverage is good, but the book does not have any illustrations. Available through the ARDSI Kolkata chapter. See their page Opens in new window.
Dementia Paricharyya (Part 2) (Bengali) ডিমেনশিয়ায় পরিচর্যা (দ্বিতীয় ভাগ)( (Ed. Nilanjana Maulik): This is part 2 of the caregiver manual from ARDSI Kolkata. It expands on topics like communication, general/personal care, behaviour, pain management, falls, wandering, home safety, emergency preparedness, outings, medication management, abuse & neglect, hospital stay, and end of life care. Available through the ARDSI Kolkata chapter. See their page Opens in new window.
Tannar Dimma (Bengali) তান্নার দিম্মা (Indrani Barua): This is a children’s story, giving a grandchild’s perspective of a grandmother with dementia. The child first notices the differences in the person, and later, after understanding how dementia is affecting the grandparent, begins doing a number of small things to make life easier for the grandparent while also finding ways to retain the quality of life – whether by walks (with name tags for safety) or gardening or working in the kitchen(in safe ways). Sensitively written, very suitable for explaining dementia to children. Available on Amazon.in as paperback Opens in new window .
Chitadu Chorayu – Dementia Ni Duniya (Gujarati) ચિત્તડું ચોરાયું ( ડિમેન્શીયાની દુનિયા) (Daksha Bhat): This small book, with a modestly priced paperback, briefly covers dementia and its symptoms and types, diagnosis, medication overview, impact of dementia, caregiving, caregiver stress, daily routine, challenges, etc., and has some explanatory figures .Available from Varishta at this pageOpens in new window (may require pick up).
Guidelines for Alzheimer’s Disease and Caregivers – Alzheimer Kaayile Hagu Shushushra Sibandhigalu Anusarisabekaad Niyamagalu (Kannada) ಅಲ್ಝೆಮರ್ ಕಾಯಿಲೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಶುಶ್ರೂಷಾ ಸಿಭಂಧಿಗಳು ಅನುಸರಿಸಬೇಕಾದ್ ನಿಯಮಗಳು (B T Salian and Dr. Anasuya Salian): This slim 32-page Kannada booklet covers basic facts about Alzheimer’s and short, simple explanations and suggestions for aspects useful to caregivers, such as delusions, sleep problems, urinary incontinence, handling bathing, food, home adjustments, visiting doctors, etc. Published by Spoorthi Trust, “Priya Clinic” Kodial Guthu East, 2nd Cross, Next to Empire Mall. Mangalore 575003. To know more/ find how to get it, please contact Phone 0824-2495128; email : jardinedsouza@gmail. com .
Dementia Rugnaanchya kutumbiyansaathi Maahiti Pustika (Marathi) डिमेन्शिया: डिमेन्शिया रुग्णनांच्या कुटुंबियांसाठी माहिती पुस्तिका (Dr. Dhananjay Chavan): This 155-page modestly priced paperback in Marathi covers dementia and related care topics in reasonable detail in a way very useful to caregivers to understand the situation as well as cope with it. The book includes several examples/ case studies to supplement the explanations. Topics cover ageing, dementia (and how it differs from ageing), types of dementia, stages of dementia, various care topics like communication, helping with ADLs, exercise, activities, coping with various types of difficult behaviours, maintaining dignity while helping, quality of life, caregiver stress, self-care, etc., and also medical problems such as delirium and UTIs, and concerns like elder abuse. Also, many other topics that can help. Highly recommended. Available at Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Jyesthanchi Kalji ani Sewa (Marathi) ज्येष्ठांची काळजी आणि सेवा (Ed. Dr. Nigavekar, Dr. Kadam, Dr. Gokhale): This book addresses various topics of geriatric care and also has several helpful sketches to show how to do some important care activities. It also includes explanations of the ageing process and related challenges, including a description of dementia, its symptoms, stages, etc. Available through ILC, Pune. See their page Opens in new window.
Kaaḷjivaahaka mhaṇoona ghaḍataannaa, (Marathi) काळजीवाहक म्हणून घडतांना (Mangala Joglekar): This book for caregivers in Marathi, contains 45 articles (each around3 to 4 pages) that provide information useful to caregivers. The book is structured into 6 sections, including sections on patient care, dealing with dementia behaviors, and explanations about dementia, its symptoms and stages etc. The book also discusses geriatric care, the process of ageing and its challenges. Sketches are included to show various care activities. Though the book is written around dementia caregiving, it may be useful to all caregivers. It includes sketches to show care activities. The book’s forewords are by Dr. Watve, a well-known Psychiatrist in Pune and by Dr. Tirthali who is both a caregiver and Vice President of the Parkinson’s Support Group. Available through K Joshi & Co., 1745/2 Sadashiv Peth, Near Bhikardas Maruti Temple, Sadashiv Peth, Pune 411030, Email: kjoshipod@gmail.com .
Books focused on home nursing.
American Medical Association Guide to Home Caregiving: The title says it all–a good starting point to get the basic understanding of what is involved in caregiving for elderly persons. Includes topics like adapting homes for patients and preventing falls. Discusses caregiving skills like bed making for patients, preventing/ handling wounds and bed sores, moving immobile persons on bed and transferring them, etc. Has a chapter specifically for persons who have Alzheimer’s Disease. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, see Amazon.in Opens in new window or Flipkart Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
The Comfort of Home: A Complete Guide for Caregivers (Maria M Myers, Paula Derr): A practical guide for caregiving, well-written and worth having a look at. Discusses how to prepare for caregiving. Describes how to support persons who need help, including bedridden persons. Includes section on range of motion exercise, and on positioning, moving, and transferring persons to and from bed, with plenty of illustrations. Discusses various types of problems and possible approaches. Though not specifically for dementia care, it has a lot of very useful information for home caregivers, caregiving, including late-stage care. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, see Amazon.in Opens in new window or Flipkart Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. It is free on Kindle Unlimited. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
The Comfort of Home for Alzheimers Disease: A Guide for Caregivers (The Comfort of Home) (Maria M Myers, Paula Derr): This book has the same authors as the above book, but is geared specifically for dementia patient caregiving. It has plenty of tips on how to adapt the home for safety and comfort of care receivers and describes various types of equipment that can help patients remain mobile. Discusses communication approaches, helping with activities of daily living, and how to understand and cope with various behavior challenges (including the ABC approach). Includes discussions on topics like creating a daily routine. Have a look! For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, see Amazon.in Opens in new window or Flipkart Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. It is free on Kindle Unlimited. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Books where Indian caregivers share personal experiences and thoughts.
Most dementia books include some examples and anecdotes/ personal stories. These are usually short – either as stand-alone stories (separate chapters) or woven with the concepts/ tips they relate to. This section, on the other hand, includes full-length books written by Indian caregivers. These books may include some material on dementia and some personal conclusions about effective care approaches. Please use them mainly to get the caregiver experiences and perspective on dementia and care, and not for any authoritative conclusions about medical aspects or care models.
Handling Alzheimer’s with Courage and अल्झाइमर: साहस से सामना कीजिये (Wing Commander (Retd.) D P Sabharwal):This is a first-person account by Wing Commander (Retd) D P Sabharwal who looked after his wife Kanu, who had Alzheimer’s Disease. Approximately 110 pages long, the book is divided into three parts. Part A, The Long Journey, describes the span of Kanu’s Alzheimer’s, from very initial hints and signs to the end. Part B, The Way Out, shares the lessons and introspection of the author as his understanding improves and he refines his approach for supporting Kanu. And Part C, Not Over As Yet, shares his concluding observations and suggestions. The book openly describes the experiences, doubts, mistakes, tough decisions, successes, failures, etc., along with musings and some relevant concepts of Alzheimer’s/ dementia. The writing is simple, clean, and honest, making a book an easy and gripping read.
The Hindi translation, अल्झाइमर: साहस से सामना कीजिये is also available.
Contact aerosaby@gmail.com for details/ to order.
In the line of Alzheimer’s: The Mission Continues (Brig (Retd.) S P Bhattacharjya):This first-person account by Brig (Retd) Bhattacharjya, 84 years old, who looked after his wife Sukla, then 72 years old. The book covers many incidents from the pre-diagnosis stage, narrating around fifteen years of Sukla’s decline, sharing incidents, mistakes, missed symptoms, things that worked and that did not. The anecdotes are shared with honesty, placed in context, and accompanied by Brig Bhattacharjya’s own analysis.Available through the ARDSI Kolkata chapter.See their page Opens in new window.
Krishna: Living with Alzheimer’s (Ranabir Samaddar): This is a first-person account by a social scientist who cared for his wife (who had Alzheimer’s Disease). The book has several chapters detailed his experiences. The late-stage care chapters, especially, are extremely valuable in our Indian context where late-stage dementia is handled at home and often requires multiple interactions with health care professionals and hospitals. The book is sometimes heavy on medical details, and also has a lot of social analysis, with discussions on ‘quality of life’. The book also contains several chapters about the earlier years of dementia, both the personal side and the social side. Caregivers looking after persons in earlier stages can skip the late-stage dementia part in their first read and return to these parts later. Available at Amazon.in Opens in new window or Flipkart Opens in new window or any other vendor.
A World Within: a remarkable story of coping with a parent’s dementia (Minakshi Chaudhry): This book is by a caregiver daughter who describes her father’s decline. It has many honestly-narrated, touching anecdotes that show various sides of the father–in some he remembers and talks about the past, in some he shows mild confusion, in some where he deteriorates further. The writing style is personal, and includes personal musings, regrets, and insight. Available at Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
Vismrit – A Journey Through Alzheimer’s (Bina Berry): This book is a memoir where a daughter shares her mother’s journey through dementia, while interweaving it with stories from her mother’s life, tales about the siblings and their interactions with the mother and other such personal touches. It also has some information on dementia. The narrative includes what the daughter gathered about her mother’s childhood and early marriage from friends and family, and culminates with the deaths of her mother, and her father who died within a few days of the mother’s death. Available as an e-book at Amazon.in Opens in new window .
Books written by persons with dementia, describing their experiences of living with dementia.
While I Still Can (Rick Phelps, Gary Joseph LeBlanc): Rick Phelps was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s and has been sharing his personal story through multiple forums. He also manages various support groups for persons with dementia and their carers. Through this book, we read about his experiences of being diagnosed with dementia and the impact dementia has on his life. Comments and quotes from other persons with dementia and their caregivers are included. Rick’s story is narrated by co-author, LeBlanc, who has been a caregiver himself and also includes his experiences and tips as a caregiver, making this book more comprehensive. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, see Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Alzheimer’s from the Inside Out (Richard Taylor): Very valuable to understand the experience of dementia from the viewpoint of Richard Taylor, an articulate professor who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s when in his initial stage, and has spent several years explaining what it feels like to have dementia. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, see Amazon.in Opens in new window or Flipkart Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Me And My Alzheimers: Me and My Alzheimers, join me as fight the fight of my life against this awful illness (Volume 1) (Norman McNamara): Norman McNamara is a person who has dementia. He is deeply concerned about awareness of dementia and actively shares his experiences and thoughts in various forums to help others understand the impact of dementia. In this book, he chronicles his experiences of suffering from dementia, and provides us with some very valuable insights into what it is like to live with dementia. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, see Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com [newwwindow] or Amazon.in Opens in new window.Opens in new window
Books written specifically to explain dementia to children.
There is need for books written specifically to explain dementia and related interactions/ care basics to younger children. Below, see known books of this type from India. It also has a curated set a selection of international books that are also available as Kindle ebooks/ Kindle Unlimited ebooks (as international children’s illustrated books tend to be very expensive) so that families can preview them and decide whether the book is suitable for their child and if so, buy the ebook/ borrow it on Kindle unlimited/ buy the paperback version.
Why Did Grandma Put Her Underwear in the Refrigerator?: An Explanation of Alzheimer’s Disease for Children (Max Wallack, Carolyn Given): This is an excellent book to explain Alzheimer’s Disease to children. This sensitively-told illustrated story is written from the viewpoint of a seven year old girl and uses the sort of vocabulary a child would use. We see Julie struggle to understand what is happening as she watches her grandmother change because of Alzheimer’s. The book is fully illustrated and is light-hearted, engaging, and very informative. Max Wallack, the co-author, currently a student and researcher, was a child when he became a caregiver for his great grandmother, and has been passionately involved in Alzheimer’s since then. For the large-print paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, you can see Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Weeds in Nana’s Garden: A heartfelt story of love that helps explain Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias (Kathryn Harrison): In this gently told illustrated story, a grandmother has dementia which is growing. The story uses the idioms of weeds and blooms to explain dementia to the young granddaughter who learns to understand and accept her grandmother’s situation and continue to love her and spend time with her. There is also Q&A section at the end to supplement the explanations. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, you can see Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. It is free on Kindle Unlimited. Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.inOpens in new window.
Harry Helps Grandpa Remember (Karen Tyrrell, Aaron Pocock): In this illustrated story, the grandson Harry starts appreciating his grandfather’s problems and uses his creativity and love to find many ways to make life better for his grandfather. The book also includes notes that parents can use to give the children more information in a simple way. For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, you can see Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. It is free on Kindle Unlimited Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Great Nanny Doesn’t Remember Me: Dementia Explained To Kids (William G Bentrim): Meant for somewhat older children and with higher text content, this book weaves in dementia explanations as conversations between a father and daughter as the child puzzles over what she sees as changes in her grandmother (who has dementia). For the paperback version, see Amazon.com Opens in new window, or, if you are in India, you can see Amazon.in Opens in new window or any other vendor.
This book is also available as a Kindle eBook. It is free on Kindle Unlimited Read the book or sample right away on your laptop, tablet, or Kindle by checking it at Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window.
There is also a Bengali book, Tannar Dimma (তান্নার দিম্মা)(Indrani Barua), a children’s story book, for explaining dementia to children, descried above. Click to read about it here.
Other India-based books around dementia: fiction, ethnographic studies, etc.
Indian Fiction with a main character who has dementia
There are very few Indian fiction books that integrate someone with dementia as part of the main story thread. We are not aware of any book where the coverage is strong and informative enough to educate readers about dementia. However, there are two books with sufficient sensitive and correct portrayal of dementia if you want to read a story with a dementia character.
Our Nana was a Nutcase (Ranjit Lal): A book targeted at teens. In spite of its apparently odd title, the book is a delightful, sensitive, and extremely love-filled portrayal of an eccentric grandfather who starts showing symptoms of dementia. Excellent writing. The portrayal of early changes in dementia and family reactions is impressive, as is the way the grandkids find ways to include the grandfather in their loves.The characterizations are entertaining and informative without preachiness. The grandfather is much loved, always included as a person and never reduced to being merely a patient. Available on Amazon.in as paperback Opens in new window and ” as Kindle Opens in new window and free on Kindle Unlimited!
Mrs C Remembers (Himanjali Sankar). This is a story about Mrs C who develops dementia and shows forgetfulness, denial, confusion, repetition, and paranoia etc. The story is told in two voices: Mrs C and her daughter Sohini, and depicts the complicated family dynamics woven with the impact of Mrs C’s growing dementia and how the family starts realizing something is wrong, and so on. The book includes many introspective passages by both narrators and others around them related to ageing, society, dementia, personalities, etc. The depiction sensitive and believable. Medical information provided is correct but present only in a muted way. A racy read that integrates dementia well. Available on Amazon.in as paperback Opens in new window and ” as Kindle Opens in new window .
Major ethnographic studies around dementia and ageing in India.
This category is included here only for completion, and it is unlikely that overwhelmed caregivers would find them of interest. They are more suitable for people wanting a cultural understanding of dementia in a somewhat academic way and willing to read dense material. Two books stand out in this category.
No Aging in India: Alzheimer’s, the Bad Family, and Other Modern Things (Lawrence Cohen) is a classic book whose paperback was first published in 1999 and with a copyright of 1998 with the University of California. Lawrence Cohen, a medical anthropologist, provides a cultural analysis of aging and dementia in India through the ages. The book is suitable for someone serious about understanding dementia in India through the ages–anthropology or ethnography students and not aimed at caregivers. It is expensive. Available on Amazon.in as paperback Opens in new window and as Kindle Opens in new window .
Unforgotten: Love and the Culture of Dementia Care in India (Bianca Brijnath) is an ethnographic study of middle-class families in urban India. It describes how these families care for persons with dementia. Set in 2014, and focused on the urban middle-class, the book may be easier to relate to by many caregivers who read this blog. It is dense, though, and full of references. Readers need to be attentive. The book is probably best for students and researchers who are serious about understanding dementia in India. Caregivers may find several insightful and interesting caregiver stories, but it can be a heavy read. Available at Amazon.in Opens in new window.
Additional references for book suggestions, free resources, etc.
Book suggestions (International) are also available in various blogs and sites created by caregivers and others. Often these lists may be overwhelming for caregivers to select from, have titles not available in India or too expensive, or may not be relevant for Indian family caregivers. When considering a book based on any recommendation, please read the book description and reviews on a site like Amazon.com or Goodreads.com to make sure the book is reliable and relevant. If a Kindle version is available, see the preview. Some books are available free on Kindle Unlimited (the membership cost of this is quite low), and you can read the entire book or refer to it without buying it.
Note that the detailed discussion pages of this site include links to selected online resources relevant for the discussion (web pages, PDF downloads, and YouTube videos). These links are checked and updated periodically to ensure they remain relevant and available. We also have pages with information sites on dementia from India and outside at Dementia Caregiver Resources across India and Informational websites on dementia / caregiving (International).
This page earlier included suggestions of DVDs on dementia, care, and home nursing. However, as DVDs are not commonly used now, and since good-quality and recent YouTube videos are available, please check our page at Videos and Presentations for some suggested viewing. If you prefer DVDs, you can surf Amazon.com Opens in new window or Amazon.in Opens in new window for your specific needs. Use the description and reviews to ensure the DVD is reliable and relevant for you. Best of luck!!
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