Review of Stepping Into Their World:

[Elina Loyet]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Stepping Into Their World:" by Lauren P. Brown, PhD.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Step Into Their World: Making Sense of Alzheimer’s by Lauren P. Brown was an insightful read! I was familiar with Alzheimer’s before reading this book, but I still gained a lot from it and learned several pieces of new information! Something that the author clears up right away is the stigma that Alzheimer’s is just forgetfulness. She explains how it is a progressive brain disorder that physically alters brain function (pg. 7). “As the disease progresses, it disrupts neural pathways, making it harder for the brain to store and retrieve information. This is why someone with Alzheimer’s may vividly remember childhood events but struggle to recall what they had for breakfast” (pg. 12). Lauren P. Brown answered a common question that people have about Alzheimer’s patients, a question that I had as well. “Why can someone with Alzheimer’s remember childhood events but not what they had for breakfast?” She explained that older memories are stored deeper in the brain, whereas short-term memories, like the current day’s events, are stored in a more fragile part of the brain and are forgotten first. I was shocked to learn that “Alzheimer’s is now the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined” (pg. 20).
There are 3 stages of Alzheimer’s- the mild stage (early Alzheimer’s), the moderate stage, (middle Alzheimer’s), and the severe stage (late Alzheimer’s). The author goes through each stage in great detail and uses metaphors to bring better understanding of how a person with Alzheimer’s feels. She references the person with Alzheimer’s as a “sojourner” and the caregiver as a “guide” (pg. 24). The author also included real-life quotes and experiences from daughters who were caregivers of their mothers who had Alzheimer’s. “For caregivers, these glimmers of connection are what keep them pressing on. These moments may not erase the heartache of watching a loved one fade, but they become the memories that caregivers hold onto the most—proof that, even in the late stages, love still exists, and the person they cherish is still there, in some way” (pg. 43).
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5. The author did a wonderful job of describing the science behind Alzheimer’s and explaining each stage that an individual goes through. She listed several practical pieces of advice when being with Alzheimer’s patients. The book was also professionally edited, as I did not find any grammatical errors or typos. However, I found some of the information to sound repetitive, and I think this book could have been shortened a little bit. The main points about Alzheimer’s kept coming up in several sections, such as the importance of remaining compassionate and showing dignity to the individual. Overall, I am glad that I came across this book and I enjoyed reading it!

******
Stepping Into Their World:
View: on Bookshelves

[Kibet Hillary]

It is amazing to see that the author tackles one of the most prevailing stigma on Alzheimer's, especially the issue of just memory loss or forgetfulness. The fact that quotes are also shared from caregivers/guides is also an inspirational feature of the book. Many thanks for the review, @Elina Loyet.