The central premise of this book is an appealing one for anyone who is dealing with a loved one who has dementia. It is that although we cannot give long-lasting weeks or months of happiness to our loved ones, because their memories do not allow it, we can give ‘moments of joy’ that create a lingering impression of happiness, and that these are enough to bring joy into their lives. They may not remember what we told them five minutes ago, but we can create, as Brackey says, ‘perfectly wonderful moments, moments that put a smile on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes’.
If it sounds a little twee, don’t worry. There is plenty of more practical advice on living and caring for someone with dementia, such as ways to use the important details of a person’s history, passions, and interests to help them to overcome daily struggles. There’s also hope, encouragement, stories and humor.
The book is now in its fifth edition and has sold well over 100,000 copies. Handily, if you would like to get more of an idea of the tone and content, there is a very good sample of it on Amazon here, which gives you a flavour of Brackey’s writing.
As one reviewer said, ‘This book is a positive, encouraging read. It makes it possible to understand and deal with difficult situations in dementia, with good humour, clinical understanding and love. I enjoyed it, and it made me smile.’
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