Elder Rage—or—Take My Father … Please! How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents

AORN Journal, April, 2004 by Rosemarie Wheeler

Elder Rage--or--Take My Father ... Please! How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents.

Jacqueline Marcell 2001, 366 pp $19.95 paperback

This book is not a nursing text; however, nurses and members of the general public will learn a lot by reading it. Jacqueline Marcell wrote this book after her life-changing experience of finding proper care for her aging parents. From a life as a professional photographer, college professor, and television executive, she became a dedicated advocate for elder care awareness and reform. I knew I was in for an interesting read when I opened the cover and found no fewer than six pages of endorsements from 42 diverse professionals.

After losing her job as a television executive, the author returned home to see to the care of her mother who had been ill. On her arrival, it immediately became apparent that her father's mental health and deterioration from Alzheimer's disease was a more serious issue that needed immediate intervention. She spent the next nine months securing a sale environment for both her parents so that they could remain together and be as independent as possible in their own home. Her journey provides an amazing story.

Marcell tells a sometimes difficult but always courageous tale of her father's violent outbursts and his need to dominate his wife. She pulls from her experience in the entertainment industry, her love of vintage and new movies, and her love of television to relate to her situation. As an example, she refers to her father as "gentle Jekyll" when he is sweet and pleasant and as "Hyde the Hun" when he is in an especially violent state of mind. She carries this particular comparison throughout the book, interlacing it with different theme songs and characters or sayings that are similar to the points she wants to make. This technique keeps a very difficult situation light and easy to read about.

The final chapter is a summary of the information that the author found useful in caring for her father; this is an invaluable addition to the book. She gives an explanation of behavior modification guidelines, including what to do when an older person is displaying positive behavior or negative behavior. She dedicates one section to the most frequently asked questions concerning how to handle an older loved one. The author also provides information specific to the warning signs, diagnosis, and stages of Alzheimer's disease and startling statistics about the disease.

Rodman Shankle, MD, MS, former medical director at the University of California Irvine Alzheimer's Center, Irvine, Calif, wrote an addendum that helps explain the turmoil that Marcell went through in finding the proper diagnosis and care for her father. Dr Shankle provides a physician's guide to treating aggression in dementia. This is a valuable resource for anyone caring for a loved one who exhibits aggressive behavior.

I recommend this book to everyone. Marcell tells a great story. She incorporates humor into a devastating situation and gives valuable information to anyone who may now be caring for an older adult or who may need to care for an older loved one in the future.

This book is available from Impressive Press, 25 Via Lucca, Suite J-333, Irvine, CA 92612-0604.

ROSEMARIE WHEELER

RN, CNOR

STAFF NURSE

DOCTORS' SURGICAL CENTER

HOUSTON