Book Description

This book is a biography of my late Aunt Alice, who, like millions of other people, developed Alzheimer's disease. I was responsible for her the last few years of her life after she could no longer live alone. She had quite a sense of humor and could also be difficult. I "inherited" my aunt in 1996 and so much has changed since then. I've included many helpful websites and also provide a comparison of costs in the different kinds of facilities that care for Alzheimer's patients. I also describe the increase in costs from 1996 to the present for each of these kinds of facilities. Barbara Larsen, the author who endorsed my book, has written a book about early-stage Alzheimer's and she provides her readers with detailed activities to decelerate Alzheimer's disease in the early stages. At the end of the book, I discuss the causes of Alzheimer's and how the theory seems to be changing as to the cause. Anyone who has ever had a loved one with dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease will benefit from and enjoy reading this book. Ruth D. Watkins-Leech grew up in the town of Butte, Montana, and attended Longfellow Grade School for eight years and graduated from Butte High School. She was on the journalism staff in high school and had her own column, titled Ruthie's Rumors. Right out of high school, Ruth worked as a dental assistant for several years. She went back to college in her late twenties and received an Associate in Science degree in Respiratory Therapy. She interned at Stanford Hospital and then worked for several years at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California. In her fifties, she traveled extensively with her late husband and wrote travel articles for a magazine titled Lifestyles. Ruth is now retired but enjoys teaching Tai Chi at Gold Country Community Center in Grass Valley, California. She also teaches at an assisted living facility and a convalescent hospital in Grass Valley. All of her compensation is donated to the Gold Country Community Center and to the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Cancer Center. Ruth is a breast cancer survivor. This is her first book. Enjoy