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Library

• There is a library at the Alzheimers New Zealand National Office, with numerous books, videos and journals that can be loaned.
• Books are loaned for four weeks
• Journals are loaned for three weeks
• Videos are loaned for three weeks

Borrowing Resources

If you are a financial member of a member organisation of Alzheimers New Zealand then you are able to borrow library resources free of charge from the National Office library. If you are not a financial member of a member organisation, then you can receive the first resource free of charge, and then after this you can pay either a $2 fee per resource or a yearly fee of $10 for individuals and $15 for companies and organisations. Please note that a courier cost may be charged to send out the resources to you.

To borrow a resource from the library:
Phone: 04 381 2362
Fax: 04 381 2365
Email: nationaloffice@alzheimers.org.nz

Catalogues

The library book and video catalogue below lists all resources currently available in the library.

Library Book Catalogue (PDF Document)
Video Catalogue (PDF document)

Featured Resource

Reducing Stress-related Behaviours In Persons With Dementia

By Chris Bonner
Shelf code: DEM/BON
Summary: This book provides imaginative ways to prevent and reduce stress-related behaviours in people with dementia in residential care. It suggests strategies for managing problems with feeding, bathing, toileting and sleep, looks at how to manage with wandering and inappropriate sexual activity and also dicusses ways of defusing aggressive behaviour.

Other Recommended Resources

General Information

Understanding the Brain and Behaviour (DVD)

Shelf code: V369
Summary: This DVD is an updated version of the very popular Brain and Behaviour video. Produced in 2004 by Alzheimer's Australia NSW, it explains the functions of the different areas of the brain, and the connection between damage within the brain and the behavioural changes that occur in people with dementia. It uses computer graphics and real life case examples, and is a great tool for people working in the field of dementia care, as well as family and carers of people with dementia.

Dealing with Dementia: A guide to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

By Dr Brian Draper
Shelf code: DEM/DRA
Summary: This book, written by an Australian psychogeriatrician, covers a number of key areas such as what is dementia, the different types of dementia, and treatments that are available (both psychosocial and drug treatments).

Dementia, Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: The 'at your fingertips' guide

By Harry Cayton, Dr Nori Graham, Dr James Warner
Shelf code: CAR/CAY
Summary: This practical book covers the difference between Alzheimer's and other dementias and covers the importance of diagnosis, practical everyday care, difficult behaviours, carers' emotions, and treatment.

Early Stage Dementia: Reassurance for sufferers and carers

By Lorraine West
Shelf code: DEM/WES
Summary: This book addresses the need for information for people involved with the early stages of dementia, starting with the first thoughts that something may be wrong, through to diagnosis and dealing with the changes of lifestyle. The book offers practical information on what a diagnosis entails, the treatments that are available and where to go for help. It demystifies the experience and maps out an approach that is both accessible and realistic to the sufferers, their families and carers.

Journal of Dementia Care : for all who work with people with dementia (Journal)

Summary: This journal, produced six times a year in the UK, has articles on a wide range of topics relating to dementia.

The New Zealand Dementia Guide

By Dr Chris Perkins
Shelf code: DEM/PER
Summary: This thoroughly comprehensive book look at the key areas of dementia in an easy to understand way. Topics include: types of dementia, stages of dementia, diagnosis, caregiving at home, and choosing residential care.

Activities

The Alzheimer's Society's book of activities

Written and edited by Sally Knocker
Shelf code: ACT/KNO
Summary: This book contains tried and tested ideas, gives an overview of current thinking on activities and care planning and explains how to set up an activities programme. It includes ideas from Alzheimer's Society branches as well as activities organisers from around the UK.

Activities Directors Quarterly for Alzheimer's and other dementia patients (Journal)

Summary: This journal, produced four times a year, has articles on activities appropriate for high-, medium-, and low-assisted functioning people with dementia. It covers physical and passive activities as well as music, art and pet therapy.

Caregiving

A Carer's Guide: Helping you care for someone with Alzheimer's or other dementias

By Rosette Teitel & Sharon Wall
Shelf code: CAR/TEI
Summary: This book covers a number of key areas for home carers, such as coping strategies, loss and grief, looking into residential care options.

A Dignified Life: The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care - A guide for family caregivers

By Virginia Bell and David Troxel
Shelf code: CAR/BEL
Summary Using the 'Best Friends' method, this book shows how to meet the daily challenges of caring for someone with dementia and covers how to: successfully communicate with the person with dementia, handle family disagreements, work with your doctor, find community resources, select things to do together, take care of yourself throughout the care giving journey.

Because You Care : A caregiver's guide (Video)

Alzheimers Society New Zealand, 1999
Duration: 35 min
Shelf code: V337
Summary: This is a caregiver's guide to managing the challenging behaviours associated with dementia. 'Because you care', shows a typical day in the lives of two different people with dementia who are being cared for at home.

Creating moments of joy for the person with Alzheimer's or dementia : a journal for caregivers

By Jolene Brackey
Shelf code: CAR/BRA
Summary: Within the pages of this inspiring little book, you will find the motivation to try a more humanistic approach to meeting the challenges of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Whether you work in an assisted living or a nursing facility, as an in-home care provider or as a caregiver of a person with dementia, Creating Moments of Joy will provide ideas, strategies and inspiration to use on a daily basis.

Dress Him While He Walks: Management in caring for residents with Alzheimer's disease (Video)

Duration: 20 min
Shelf code: V330
Summary: A sensitive and realistic video which, deals with what to expect in terms of behaviour from Alzheimer's residents and how to cope and care for them. It addresses several difficult behaviours such as wandering, angry outbursts and delusions.

The 36-Hour Day: A family guide to caring for person with Alzheimer's disease, related dementing illnesses and memory loss in later life

By Nancy Mace and Peter Rabins
Shelf code: CAR/MAC
Summary: This is a comprehensive guide for caring for someone with early to middle stages of dementia. It combines practical advice with specific examples, and covers medical, emotional, legal, and financial areas of care.

The Comforts of Home: An illustrated step-by-step guide for caregivers

By Maria Meyer with Paula Derr
Shelf code: CAR/MEY
Summary: A useful and practical guide for families and primary caregivers who are caring for someone at home.

The Essential Dementia Care Handbook

Edited by Graham Stokes and Fiona Goudie
Shelf code: CAR/STO
Summary: This is a comprehensive account of current best practice when caring for people with dementia. It covers diagnosis of dementia and other problems associated with ageing, assessment, person-centred model of dementia, rehabilitation and therapy.

Children & Young Adults

The Smell of Chocolate

By Barbara McGuire
Shelf code: CHI/MCG
Summary: This is a children's book exploring the special relationship between a young boy and his grandfather who has Alzheimer's disease. The book, which was produced by Alzheimer's Australia WA, is great for any young person coming to terms with someone they know who has dementia.

Memory

By Margaret Mahy
Shelf code: YOU/NAH
Summary: This fiction book for young adults describes the friendship between an elderly woman with dementia, and a young man running away from his past.

What's Happening to Grandpa?

By Maria Shriver
Shelf code: CHI/SHR
Summary: This children's book aims to educate children about Alzheimer's disease and looks at ways that children can cope with the changes that happen to their grandparents.

Communication

The validation breakthrough: simple techniques for communicating with people with Alzheimer's-type dementia

By Naomi Feil
Shelf code: CAR/FEI
Summary: Naomi Feil demonstrates communication techniques to show caregivers how they can sidestep conflict and stress by validating expressed feelings rather than focusing on the older person's confusion. These validation techniques help professional and family caregivers to improve their relationships with confused clients or loved ones.

Directories

A Question of Care

By Wendy Perry and Audrey Crehan
Shelf code: SER/QUE
Summary: There are six regional guides that provide information about residential care options in each area:

• Auckland/Northland
• Bay of Plenty/Taranaki/Waikato
• Gisborne/Hawkes Bay/Tararua/Wairarapa
• Horowhenua/Manawatu/Wanganui/Wellington
• Buller/Canterbury/Marlborough/Nelson/West Coast
• Otago/Southland

The New Zealand Retirement Guide

By Frances Kinnaird
Shelf code: SER/KIN
Summary: This guide lists retirement villages, serviced apartments, rest homes, private hospitals and home support services available around the country.

Grief

Grief and Powerlessness: Helping people regain control of their lives

By Ruth Bright
Shelf code: HEA/BRI
Summary: The author addresses the experience of bereavement and loss in a wide range of contexts, including: death and dying, ageing, disability, illness and AIDS, and cultural loss. She also looks at family and community attitudes to loss and grief.

Personal stories

A view from within : living with early onset Alzheimer's

By Thaddeus M. Raushi
Shelf code: EAR/RAU
Summary: Social worker, Thaddeus Raushi is diagnosed with several serious illnesses in his late fifties, including Alzheimer's disease. He shares his experiences of having early onset Alzheimer's and includes his feelings around diagnosis, practical everyday issues and ways of coping, philosophical reflections on death and dying and on celebrating life.

Behind closed doors

By Jan Tomlinson
Shelf code: EAR/TOM
Summary: In this true story of Jan and Ian Tomlinson's experience of early onset dementia, Jan outlines the progress of the disease in her husband Ian and the frustrating process of getting a diagnosis, made difficult because of Ian's young age. Ian also adds his comments about the changes taking place for him, and his thoughts and feelings.

Dancing with Dementia

By Christine Bryden
Shelf code: BIO/BRY
Christine Bryden was a top civil servant and single mother of three children when she was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 46. Since then she has gone on to challenge almost every stereotype of people with dementia by campaigning for self-advocacy, writing articles and speaking at national conferences (including the Alzheimers Disease International Conference in Christchurch in 2001).
This book is a vivid account of the author's experiences of living with dementia, exploring the effects of memory problems, loss of independence, difficulties in communication and the exhaustion of coping with simple tasks. She describes how, with the support of her husband Paul, she continues to lead an active life nevertheless, and explains how professionals and carers can help.
Christine Bryden speaks about the need to change prevailing attitudes and misconceptions about the disease. She argues for greater empowerment and respect for people with dementia as individuals, and also reflects on the importance of spirituality in her life and how it has helped her better understand who she is and who she is becoming.

Stolen memories (Video)

Duration: 60 min
Shelf code: V355
Summary: This hour long documentary follows ten months in the lives of three New Zealand younger people newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. All three are in their fifties, all are married with children and all are struggling to come to terms with the consequences of the disease.

Who Will I Be When I Die?

By: Christine Boden
Shelf code: BIO/BOD
Summary: This biography is written by an Australian woman who was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's disease at the age of 46. It covers her emotional, physical and spiritual journey, coming to terms with the diagnosis.

Making life better for all people affected by dementia