Camille Grafer describes the journey she and her mother took after Mama Rose was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Recalling the life of her mother—a widow raising her only child in Chicago in the 1950s—Camille tells the story of her own transitions as a caregiver. Her loving tribute is filled with strategies for how to face this illness with generosity and humor.
Publisher’s Note
Introduction
1. Mama Rose
2. My Early Life
3. Life Without Dad
4. Seeing Changes in Mama
5. Accepting the Diagnosis
6. Settling Mama Into My Home
7. Searching for a Caregiver
8. Finding In-home Care for Mama
9. Seeing Major Changes in Mama
10. Still Enjoying the Holidays
11. Coping with Mama’s Physical Decline
12. Meeting Mama’s Relatives Again
13. Looking for Daycare
14. Choosing a Nursing Home
15. Moving Mama to the Home
16. Visiting Mama & the Other Residents
17. Learning the Residents’ Stories
18. Mama’s Final Days
Acknowledgments
Family Photos
About the Author