In 2012, as part of its 75th anniversary, the Association of University Presses revived the idea of a University Press Week to recognize the impact that a global community of university presses has on every one of us. This year, blog tour posts will examine ways that university presses #StepUP to educate and enlighten, motivate and inspire, support and act, using some common interrogatives. Today, we’re focusing on WHO StepsUP at Purdue University Press.
Our team at Purdue University Press is proud to work toward the production and distribution of quality, peer-reviewed scholarly work through the selection, development, and publication of materials that add to our understanding of the world, but the spotlight is on the authors and works we publish.
Our authors #StepUP in many forums and in many ways, but one of the most personal and universal subjects is health and aging. Our authors StepUP through personal stories and experience, offering suggestions on caregiving and guidance to navigate the challenges of aging—for the dignity and well-being of the elderly and the caretakers.
Shelved: A Memoir of Aging in America by Sue Matthews Petrovski
After retiring from a long and successful career in education, Sue Petrovski published two books, ran an antiques business, and volunteered in her community. When her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Petrovski served as her primary caregiver for eight years until her mother passed. When her husband developed dementia, she also served as his caregiver.
In Shelved: A Memoir of Aging in America, she reflects on the benefits and deficits of American for-profit elder care. Petrovski draws on extensive research that demonstrates the cultural value of our elders and their potential for leading vital, creative lives, especially when given opportunities to do so, offering a cogent, well-informed critique of elder care options in this country. Petrovski delivers compelling suggestions for the transformation of an elder care system that puts people first—a change that would benefit us all at any age.
Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer’s Journey: A Guide for Families and Caregivers, Fifth Edition by Jolene Brackey
Jolene Brackey has a vision: that we will soon look beyond the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease to focus more of our energies on creating moments of joy. When people have short-term memory loss, their lives are made up of moments. We are not able to create perfectly wonderful days for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, but we can create perfectly wonderful moments, moments that put a smile on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes. Five minutes later, they will not remember what we did or said, but the feeling that we left them with will linger. In this volume, Brackey reveals that our greatest teacher is having cared for and loved someone with Alzheimer’s and that often what we have most to learn about is ourselves.
Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver by Rober Hershberger
One year shy of her fiftieth wedding anniversary, Dee Hershberger was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Her husband, Bob, serving as her primary caregiver, kept a journal during the following four and a half years. Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver provides an unflinchingly honest and heartbreaking account of what the couple went through.
This is a brutally raw look at what it is like to lose a loved one to Alzheimer’s, including what the disease does to the patient and the effects it has on loved ones and caregivers. This personal view into caring for a spouse with Alzheimer’s will help readers understand the physical, emotional, and financial consequences of the disease, as well as provide support, advice, and hope to anyone in the same situation.
Changing Seasons: A Language Arts Curriculum for Healthy Aging, Revised, by Denise L. Calhoun
Changing Seasons: A Language Arts Curriculum for Healthy Aging is a language-based, interdisciplinary program that increases interaction and communication skills among older adults. Featuring simple step-by-step lesson plans and interactive activities, Changing Seasons is a practical guide for caregivers and health care professionals to ensure individuals sustain their quality of life as they age. Each activity reveals new, creative, and fun ways to encourage individuals to speak, think, and write, sparking imagination and engagement with others. This new revised edition recognizes the growing importance of technology in communication, and incorporates many lessons learned during pandemic isolation, as communication was often limited to screens. Included is a new chapter that incorporates eight lessons on utilizing videoconferencing platforms. Though technology may evolve, communication will remain key to a sense of community and companionship—whether in person or online. Changing Seasons provides a roadmap to promoting meaningful interactions.
The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones and Everything You Need to Know About Caregiving for Parkinson’s Disease by Liana Marie
The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones and Everything You Need to Know About Caregiving for Parkinson’s Disease helps make sense of what comes next and what can be done, not just for those suffering from the disease but for their family and friends as well. A trained nurse and primary caregiver for her mother, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, Lianna Marie draws upon over twenty years of education, research, and direct experience. Written in straightforward and easily accessible language, this essential guide aims to help patients better understand their role in their treatment so that they may continue to lead happy and hopeful lives.
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