Review: Dementia Caregivers Share Their Stories: A Support Group in a Book by Lynda A. Markut and Anatole Crane, Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press, 2005, with index and a useful Appendix on resources for family caregivers of persons with dementia.

Both family members caring for a person with dementia and professionals who interface with family members will benefit from reading this well-written, insightful book. Dementia Caregivers Share Their Stories derives its power from the stories collected by the authors in conducting support groups for family members caring for loved ones with dementia.

Lynda Markut, a social worker, is manager of workplace support services for the Waukesha County chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. She has run many support groups. Anatole Crane is a retired scientist and caregiving spouse who became co- facilitator of a spouse dementia support group.

Starting with brief descriptions of the most common forms of dementia (Alzheimer's Disease, Lewy Body Disease, Vacular Dementia and Pick's Disease), the content progresses in a more-or-less chronological order, starting with "Early Symptoms and Diagnosis" and exploring a dozen topics ranging from "Who Gives Care and How to Do It" to "The Challenge of Behavior Changes" to "The Final Transition" (coping with the death of the care recipient and the emotional aftermath that accompanies the end of a caregiving relationship).

Throughout, the authors blend personal and professional insights with real-life first-hand accounts of the joys and stresses of caregiving for this population. The chapter on "Maintaining Meaningful Involvement in Life" includes this quote from a caregiver named Bernice: "There is a great deal to be learned about life from the caregiving experience. One of the lessons I had from mom having vascular dementia was to slow down. She couldn't do things with any speed, and, if I tried to speed things up, it just produced frustration, so I would always have to remind myself to get into a lower gear whenever I did anything with Mom. It was a good lesson for me. Whenever I walked or cooked or gardened with her, I got to experience the pleasure in the simple things." Or, as the authors point out in the same chapter, "Responding to a family member with dementia is all about becoming adept at responding to change and loss."

Markut and Crane show us the humor in caregiving, too, as with this holiday anecdote from a caregiver named Renate: "We got a Christmas tree last year and my husband worked and worked to get it to fit in the stand. He finally got it in the stand and brought it into the house. Mom took one look at it and said 'Why are you bringing that damn tree in the house?' That was a really funny moment. We all stopped and just laughed. It was good for us and it was good for Mary (Renate's mom with Alzheimer's disease).

This book has direct relevance for employed family caregivers and for managers who interact with them in the work place. The power of these experienced caregivers' stories helps humanize and normalize the experience of the 4 million-plus (and growing) American families who are coping with caregiving for persons with these very stress-inducing types of diseases.

If you know a family member, co-worker, friend or neighbor who is in this situation - or perhaps a manager at work who would benefit from some real- life insights - I would highly recommend this book as a great holiday gift. For more information, visit www .VanderbiltUniversityPress.com