Travelers to Unimaginable Lands: Dementia and the Hidden Workings of the Mind

In this thoughtful debut, Kiper, a clinical supervisor at an Alzheimer’s caregiving organization, digs into the tortuous effects of dementia for sufferers and caregivers alike When Kiper decided to spend a year as a live-in caregiver for a 98-year-old man with dementia, she’d expected his behavior to be mercurial. What she didn’t count on were her reactions, including anger and sometimes buying in to his delusions. Drawing on neurological research and her experience counseling caregivers, Kiper zeros in on the dilemmas that arise when patient and caregiver “unknowingly collaborate in misinterpreting” dementia. Caregivers, for instance, often feel patients are capable of self-awareness even though they know otherwise. Elsewhere, Kiper explains that caregivers often don’t detect dementia in loved ones even when it’s “staring them in the face,” as it conflicts with their “internal model of reality.” This becomes especially tricky when the condition’s emotional symptoms (anger, confusion) are mistaken for a normal part of a difficult relationship. The author’s clear reasoning skillfully illuminates psychological concepts, and her poignant experiences bring them to life, sensitively broaching issues of free will, identity, and loss. Those dealing with dementia will find solace in this compassionate investigation of the human mind. (Mar.)