"There is no set of “directions” for caring for a person with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia disorder. Each caregiving journey is unique, and will be in a constant state of change as the disease progresses. However, having a start point in preparing for and going along this journey helps to create a lasting partnership with the person you care for, the care team you build along the way, and may come to rely upon throughout the caregiving journey.

When Debra first asked if I would help to consult on this book, I didn’t hesitate for one moment to say yes. In getting to know Debra over the past several years I have seen, firsthand, the passion, empathy, and dedication she puts into everything she does both as a professional and as an adult child overseeing the care of her mother.

This book makes the listener feel as though you are talking to an old friend who is speaking from the heart and pulling no punches, helping to guide you through one of the most challenging journeys you will ever embark on. A Relationship Contract for Dementia Caregivers provides the listener with practical knowledge and necessary steps at each stage of the disease, to continuously adapt your practices and expectations to meet the needs of the person you care for and, more importantly, your own needs as the disease progresses.

The theme that runs throughout this book is that caregiving changes your relationships and taking care of yourself, as the caregiver, is not a luxury—it is a necessity. If you don’t take care of yourself, then you can’t oversee the care of the person with a progressive brain disease.

-Amy Matthews, LLC Dementia Educator and Consultant