Coach Broyles' "Alzheimer's Playbook"

In recognition of November, 2008 as National Caregivers Month, a number of new books were issued on the topic of caregiving, that join books regularly revised & updated, some posted online for free.

The foundational, classic book on the subject of personal caregiving is The 36-Hour Day (4th Ed., 2006), subtitled A Family Guide to Caring for Persons with Alzheimer Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss in Later Life, by Nancy L. Mace, M.A., Peter V. Rabins, M.D., & Paul R. McHugh.

Revised in 2006 for its twenty-fifth anniversary, this best-selling book is the "bible" for families caring for people with Alzheimer disease, offering comfort and support to millions worldwide.

In addition to the practical and compassionate guidance that have made The 36-Hour Day invaluable to caregivers, the fourth edition is the only edition currently available that includes new information on medical research and the delivery of care.

The new edition includes:

• new information on diagnostic evaluation
• resources for families and adult children who care for people with dementia
• updated legal and financial information
• the latest information on nursing homes and other communal living arrangements
• new information on research, medications, and the biological causes and effects of dementia. * * *

See also: Review: The 36-Hour Day, by Sarah C. Murphy; and The 36-Hour Day, posted on The Alzheimer's Disease Bookstore, which lists it among the many books written on the Alzheimer's-related topics of:

• Caregiving Books
• Activities for the Person with Alzheimer's Disease
• Books for Children / Teens / Young People
• Spirituality
• Society & Alzheimer's Disease
• Medical Books
• Living Environments

For another popular book on family caregiving, see: Always On Call: When Illness Turns Families Into Caregivers (2nd Edition, November, 2004) by Carol Levine, who was interviewed by National Public Radio on July 21, 2008 in a broadcast segment entitled "Carol Levine, Championing The Caregiver's Cause."

So, what's new among books about caregiving in 2008? Just about one new book per month:

• The Caregiver's Companion : Readings and Professional Resources (November, 2008), by Janet Gonzalez-Mena
  

• Voices of Caregiving (November, 2008), a compilation by various contributors
  

• Lifting Our Voices : The Journeys into Family Caregiving of Professional Social Workers (September, 2008) by Joyce Beckett
  

• Caring for Patients from Different Cultures (Sep, 2008) by Geri-Ann Galanti

• Through the Seasons : An Activity Book for Memory Challenged Adults and Caregivers (July 2008) by Cynthia R. Green & Joan Beloff

• Dementia and Caregiving (June, 2008), by Joanna Kelly

• Who Goes to the Door and Then What (May, 2008), by Katie Conner Reese & Timothy Vernon Conner

• The Moon in the Water : Reflections on an Aging Parent (April, 2008) by Kathy J. Phillips

• 101 Helps for Helpers (March, 2008) by Linda Johnson Crowell

• Family Caregiver Answer Book (January, 2008), by Rebecca Colmer

Caregiving was the subject of a handbook and a video produced by WGBH-TV (Boston, MA) in conjunction with AARP, entitled Caring for Your Parents. The broadcast aired in 2008 on the Public Broadcasting System.

Derived from the book and the video was the fantastic, free, online AARP Caregiving Tool Kit, "filled with interactive features, such as expert videos, calculators, and worksheets" targeted towards personal caregivers.

Such tools could reduce the stress felt by caregivers. See: PA EE&F Law Blog posting "Dear Abby" Answers Alzheimer's Caregiver (11/18/08).

But my favorite resource was written by a coach -- Coach Frank Broyles, presently the Razorback Athletic Director at the University of Arkansas.

A Press Release issued November 1, 2007, entitled "Alzheimer's Association Unveils Football Coach Frank Broyles' Playbook for Alzheimer's Caregivers" (PDF, 2 pages), announced the free availability of Coach Broyles’ Playbook for Alzheimer’s Caregivers:

The Playbook is a football-themed, practical guide that addresses “Pre-Game Planning,” “Coaches and Special Teams,” “Playing Offense,” “Playing Defense” and the “Training Table” for each stage of the disease.

“When my wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease I was at a loss,” said Broyles, athletic director and former coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

“My family and I collaborated with many great partners like the Alzheimer's Association along her journey and we want to share our collective insight to help ease the caregiving of those still facing this immense challenge.” * * *

The Broyles' Playbook now has its own website, where the book is displayed in a multimedia format, where it can be downloaded in PDF format (Updated 09/16/08; PDF, 110 pages, in English & Spanish), and where each of its eighteen chapters can be heard as a playable or downloadable audio book.

The Broyles' Playbook still remains available on the website of the Alzheimer's Association.

A newer companion book, Broyles' Playbook: Tips & Strategies (Updated 09/16/08; PDF, 12 pages), is also available on the Broyles' Playbook website.

“I gathered my team, and together, with the help and support of many Arkansan people and companies, we were able to generate the funding needed to make this Playbook available nationwide, free of charge, to anyone wanting information on how to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.”

“It is our gift to you, in hope that you can benefit from my experience.”

-- Coach Frank Broyles