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Losing Mom
Losing Mom, by Peggy Ottman, is a memoir about a daughter walking with her mother through the last stretch of her life. The story moves through medical crises, small moments of grace, old family rhythms, and the shifting power dynamic between parent and child. It opens with years of near misses, each one convincing Ottman that maybe her mother would never actually die, and then follows the final days with an honesty that feels both intimate and strangely universal. At its heart, it is about love, caretaking, and the long letting go that comes when a parent fades.
The writing is simple, direct, sometimes almost breathless in the way it tumbles forward. That works for this kind of memoir. The scenes of crisis feel sharp because they are told the way we remember trauma, in fragments and quick flashes. I appreciated how she didn’t try to polish herself into some perfect caretaker. She shows the guilt, the second-guessing, the resentment, the deep tenderness. Her relationship with her sisters adds texture, too. They each carry different responsibilities, and you can feel the family history in every conversation.
What struck me most was the author’s honesty about fear. The fear of losing her mom, yes, but also the fear of doing the wrong thing, of missing a sign, of not being strong enough. Those moments felt very emotional. Some scenes hit hard, like when she speaks nonsense during what might be a stroke. Other moments are quiet, almost gentle, like the nurse patiently washing her mother’s hair. The memoir doesn’t try to turn grief into something tidy. It lets it stay messy and human, which makes it more powerful.
By the end, Losing Mom feels like a long exhale. It doesn’t offer big lessons. Instead, it gives you the feeling of having walked alongside someone through something real. I’d recommend Peggy Ottman‘s story to anyone who gravitates toward memoirs that deal with caregiving, aging parents, and the complicated love that sits underneath family stories. Readers who value emotional honesty over dramatic storytelling will appreciate it most. This is a memoir that keeps you thinking, especially if you’ve ever watched someone you love slowly slip away.
Pages: 300
Essential Guide for Caregivers of Parents with Dementia: Proven Strategies to Support Mental Clarity, Extend Independence, Plan for What’s Ahead, and Avoid Burnout
This book is a heartfelt and deeply practical guide that walks readers through every emotional and logistical step of caring for a parent with dementia. Wesley Thomas blends personal stories with grounded advice, weaving a clear roadmap for families who suddenly find themselves in the role of caregiver. The structure, organized around his “Circle of Care™” framework, covers recognition, adjustment, connection, protection, sustenance, compassion, and restoration. Each chapter moves from understanding to action, explaining not only what to do but also how to stay steady while doing it. The tone is warm and conversational, yet it never shies away from the hard parts. Thomas offers real-world tools for everything from home safety to medical decisions, while constantly reminding readers that love and dignity should guide every choice.
Thomas’s writing is simple and kind, never clinical or distant. He tells stories that feel real, the confusion of early signs, the ache of lost connection, the quiet grace of small wins. I appreciated how he didn’t drown the reader in jargon or pretend there’s a one-size-fits-all plan. Instead, he speaks directly, like a friend pulling up a chair and saying, “Here’s what helped me, and here’s what might help you.” His emphasis on self-care resonated with me. Caregivers often forget themselves in the process, and his reminders to rest, breathe, and seek help felt both necessary and comforting. Some moments are tough to read because of their honesty, but that’s part of the book’s strength. It makes you face the pain while showing you how to survive it.
Emotionally, this book left me both drained and uplifted. Thomas captures the heartbreak of watching a loved one fade but also the unexpected beauty that can appear in small gestures of patience and humor. His compassion is contagious. I found myself slowing down, reflecting on how I treat my own family, and realizing that caregiving is as much about who we become as it is about what we do. The writing is full of short, punchy sentences that carry weight. It’s not polished in an academic way. It’s real, raw, and human. That’s what makes it powerful. I could feel his sincerity in every chapter, and it kept me reading even through the heavier sections.
I’d recommend this book to anyone caring for a parent, spouse, or relative with dementia, and honestly, to anyone preparing for that possibility. It’s perfect for readers who crave guidance but don’t want to be overwhelmed by medical language. It’s for those who want a companion more than a manual. Essential Guide for Caregivers of Parents with Dementia gives both knowledge and hope, and it leaves you feeling less alone.
Pages: 156 | ASIN : B0FPTTKBJ6
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late!
Doing the Right Thing serves as a one-stop resource for readers navigating the task of assisting aging loved ones, offering practical tips, housing comparisons, checklists, and thoughtful advice to help families make informed, compassionate choices with less stress and confusion. Why was this an important book for you to write?
In 1995, when I first started this journey, I learned so much through trial-and-error. I knew that if I was having problems with the quality and accuracy of people who work in the seniors’ field, I knew that other adult chilldren would find it frustrating, too. I wrote the book to educate and empower adult children to be advocates for their loved ones. I made it as easy as possible to find information quickly. No one has time to wade through a 400-page tome looking for the answers!
How have your personal experiences and background as a Certified Senior Advisor(CSA), Certified Aging in Place Specialist(CAPS), and as a real estate Associate Broker helped you to write this book?
I was already in real estate helping seniors and adult children sell the family home. I completed coursework to become a Certified Senior Advisor and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist to learn even more! The designations provide useful information that is “book-learned” rather than “street-smarts”. Both approaches have helped me better serve others. I can relate to the stres and frustration an adult child feels, and the overwhelming emotions the loved one feels when facing this next phase of life.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
(a). Each situation is unique to that person or family, but the resources to help are widely available;
(b). Learn and practice patience! Don’t try to “take charge” of your loved one’s situation. They may have already thought about it but are hesitant to discuss.
(c). Keep going! You do the best you can with what you have and it’s enough!
(d). Don’t hesitate to reach out for help
(e). You may think you have time but life (for you and your loved one) can change quickly! You can reschedule a meeting or change vacation plans, but a call about your parent(s) must be faced right away.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Doing the Right Thing?
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late! Familiarize yourself with as much as you can! The process won’t be completed overnight!
Author Links: LinkedIn | Instagram | X | Reddit
Caring for a loved one is stressful, but necessary. I know, I’ve been there many times. There are new situations, new issues, and new decisions to make every day. When you don’t know what to expect or what questions to ask, it can be a frustrating feeling, and your emotions can often affect your decisions.
This book provides resources and information to guide you in caring for your aging loved one. The information includes information I wish I had known many years ago when I started my journey of caring for several relatives.
Here are a few things you’ll learn:
How to develop a master list of the information you need from your loved ones before they become incapacitated or die, and what steps to take once they pass.
The importance of a will or trust.
The types of housing choices for your loved one and how to decide what’s best.
The forty-plus questions to ask an assisted living facility.
How to decide what items to sell, donate, or give away. The twenty-five questions to ask an estate sale company.
Resources to ease your stress, especially if you don’t live close to your loved one. How to cope with grief.
By reading this practical guide, you can educate and empower yourself to do the best you can–before it’s too late!
Doing the Right Thing: Simple Solutions, Essential Tips & Helpful Resources for Assisting Aging Loved Ones
Reading Doing the Right Thing felt like someone finally handed me a flashlight in a pitch-black tunnel. I’m a full-time caregiver for both of my elderly parents. Dad’s mobility is limited, and Mom has early-stage dementia. I’ve been making it up as I go, bouncing between doctor appointments, financial headaches, and late-night worry spirals. This book didn’t just speak to me, it practically grabbed me by the shoulders and said, “Here’s what you need to know, and you’re not crazy for feeling overwhelmed.”
I appreciated how Debbie Miller lays it all out. Just clear, compassionate guidance. She covers everything from selling the family home to choosing between assisted living and aging in place, and she even dives into sensitive topics like wills, end-of-life planning, and grief. I found myself nodding, underlining, even laughing in a few spots, especially the parts where she talks about how stubborn parents can be when it’s time to downsize. Yes. Been there. Still there. Every chapter felt like it was written by someone who gets it.
This isn’t a “just think positive” kind of book. It’s honest. Some of the information is hard to take in, especially when you’re already stretched thin emotionally. But I needed that. I didn’t need another person telling me to “just enjoy this time.” I needed someone to tell me how to manage Medicaid paperwork, how to talk to my brother who lives five states away and still thinks our parents are “fine,” and how to keep from losing myself in all of it. Debbie did that.
If you’re caring for aging parents, especially if you’re doing it alone or with little help, Doing the Right Thing is a godsend. It’s part guidebook, part pep talk, part reality check. I keep it on the kitchen counter, next to the pile of prescription refills and to-do lists. It belongs there. I wish I’d read it a year ago, but I’m glad I have it now. And if you’re in the middle of this journey too, you’ll be glad to have it too.
Pages: 195 | ASIN : B0D7K72Y4S
Doing the Right Thing: Simple Solutions, Essential Tips & Helpful Resources for Assisting Aging Loved Ones
Debbie C. Miller’s Doing the Right Thing is a heartfelt and practical guide for anyone navigating the daunting path of caring for an aging parent or loved one. Drawing from her years of experience as a real estate broker and Certified Aging in Place Specialist, Miller breaks down the vast, often overwhelming web of decisions. Whether it’s choosing the right type of housing, downsizing, understanding financial options, or simply knowing how to start the conversation. The book serves as a one-stop resource, offering practical tips, housing comparisons, checklists, and thoughtful advice to help families make smart, compassionate choices with less stress and confusion.
What struck me most was how deeply personal this book felt. Miller isn’t some detached expert. She’s lived this. Her tone is warm, conversational, and honest, like a trusted friend who’s been through the mess and wants to spare you the worst of it. She doesn’t sugarcoat how tough these decisions can be, especially when roles flip and adult children become the caretakers. The stories she includes from her own clients are raw and relatable. You can feel the anxiety, the guilt, the pressure, and also the deep relief and gratitude that come from getting it right.
There’s a lot of information packed in here. I found myself bookmarking sections and flipping back and forth, trying to absorb everything. That said, I appreciated that Miller didn’t assume readers know what questions to ask or where to begin. She anticipates confusion and meets it with clarity and structure. If there’s one critique I’d offer, it’s that the tone occasionally veers into lecture territory, especially in the more technical chapters. Still, that’s forgivable when the advice is this thorough and useful.
This book is a lifeline. If you’re an adult child facing the tough questions about how to care for your aging parents, or if you’re a solo ager trying to plan ahead, Doing the Right Thing will meet you with empathy, wisdom, and actionable steps. I’d recommend it for any adult over 40, whether you’re in the thick of caregiving now or just starting to sense those big decisions coming down the road.
Pages: 195 | ASIN : B0D7K72Y4S
How to Age Gracefully
How to Age Gracefully is a tender and unflinching collection of essays by Barbara Hoffbeck Scoblic, a woman navigating her eighties from inside an assisted living facility in Bethesda, Maryland. After losing her husband and suffering a serious fall, Scoblic uproots her life in Manhattan and resettles in a new, unfamiliar world. Through sharp observations and heartfelt recollections, she explores what it really means to age — physically, emotionally, and socially. The book is broken into seven parts, covering everything from adjusting to new bodies and places to the presence of death. Scoblic shines a light on the overlooked complexity, humor, sorrow, and creativity of growing old.
The writing is clean and conversational. Scoblic has a sharp ear for dialogue and a keen sense of irony. Her tone swings from biting to tender in a heartbeat — one minute you’re laughing at a petty spat in the dining room, the next you’re hit by the quiet heartbreak of isolation. I found myself nodding along to her stories, sometimes with amusement, sometimes with a lump in my throat. She’s refreshingly honest about the indignities of aging, the fears, the small joys. There’s a grounded strength in the way she refuses to sugarcoat the hard stuff — the loneliness, the loss of independence — while still finding room for wit and warmth.
There were times, though, when the book made me a little sad, not because of its content, but because of how little we hear voices like Scoblic’s. She doesn’t try to make aging sound noble or poetic. It’s messy. It’s awkward. It’s often frustrating. But she finds meaning in the mess. I appreciated how she documented the seemingly mundane — conversations overheard, small kindnesses from the staff, even a note slipped into a takeout bag — and made them feel full of life. There’s something deeply beautiful in the ordinary moments she shares. I especially loved her stories about community and her slow-building friendships with people she initially misunderstood. That said, some of the stories blend together after a while. There’s not a traditional narrative arc, and the book feels more like a mosaic than a single journey.
I would recommend this book to anyone curious about aging, especially those who fear it. It’s a wonderful read for middle-aged readers trying to understand their parents, for adult children who feel lost in the caregiving shuffle, or even for younger people wanting a glimpse into what might lie ahead. This isn’t a self-help guide or a grand philosophical treatise — it’s better. It’s a conversation. One with humor, depth, and the kind of lived wisdom you don’t often find in print. Reading it made me feel more connected to my elders, to my own future, and to the idea that life still matters, even when your world shrinks.
Pages: 101 | ASIN : B0DB2T821D
Protecting Mama: Surviving the Legal Guardianship Swamp
Protecting Mama is an intense, deeply personal, and often shocking memoir that dives into the murky, bureaucratic, and, at times, sinister world of legal guardianship in the United States. Author Léonie Rosenstiel shares the painful saga of her mother’s entanglement in a guardianship system that seems more interested in control and profit than care or dignity. Backed by over 40,000 pages of legal documentation and her own relentless determination, Rosenstiel walks us through years of institutional deception, family secrets, courtroom manipulation, and the emotional toll of fighting a system that feels rigged from the start.
What really gripped me was the raw, unfiltered way Rosenstiel lays out her story. This isn’t some detached legal analysis. It’s deeply human, almost unbearably so at times. The moment she describes how her mother’s guardian removed her beloved Egyptian bark paintings replacing them with photos of her abusers, that broke me. It wasn’t just a decorating choice; it was a cruel erasure of identity and comfort. Rosenstiel doesn’t just tell us what happened, she makes us feel the outrage, the helplessness, the absurdity of a system that hands so much unchecked power to total strangers. Her writing isn’t flashy or polished to a high literary shine. It’s straightforward, emotional, and piercingly honest. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Rosenstiel also has a sharp, sarcastic edge that I really appreciated. When she fact-checks a New Mexico bureaucrat who claimed almost no one complains about the guardianship system, Rosenstiel does a quick Google search and finds millions of hits for “guardianship abuse.” That’s the kind of mic-drop moment that makes this book more than a personal story; it becomes a wake-up call. She’s done her homework, and she’s not afraid to take aim at judges, attorneys, and “professional guardians” who profit off of the vulnerable. I admired her restraint, too she never veers into conspiracy theory territory. She sticks to what she can prove, and she can prove a lot.
At the same time, this book isn’t just about a broken system, it’s about a family and all the messy, unresolved history that comes with it. I was struck by the honesty with which Rosenstiel reflects on her mother’s past and her own role in trying to untangle decades of secrecy and trauma. You can feel how desperate she was to find any way to help. That level of emotional vulnerability, combined with the bureaucratic horror show she was navigating, made this a uniquely powerful read.
Protecting Mama is a gut punch of a book. It’s not light reading, but it’s important. If you have aging parents, or if you work in law, healthcare, or elder care, this book should be required. It’s a warning, a protest, and a love letter all rolled into one. Rosenstiel pulls back the curtain on a system that thrives in secrecy and shows us why silence is not an option. For those willing to face the uncomfortable truth, Protecting Mama delivers it with fierce honesty and heartbreaking clarity.
Pages: 481 | ASIN : B09MV3XMMB
Seeking Clarity in the Labyrinth: A Daughter’s Journey Through Alzheimer’s
Losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s is a journey without a roadmap. It can be mercifully brief or agonizingly prolonged, with each family’s path uniquely different yet heartbreakingly similar. In her deeply personal and cathartic book, Jessica Stokes delves into her family’s experience with this disease, often termed “the longest goodbye,” as she witnessed her mother’s cognitive decline. The narrative highlights how Alzheimer’s impacts not only the diagnosed individual but also the entire family, necessitating extensive care and adjustments. This story will resonate with many.
Seeking Clarity in the Labyrinth: A Daughter’s Journey Through Alzheimer’s is a poignant memoir by Jessica Stokes that serves as both a personal account and a therapeutic exploration. Beyond detailing her family’s 13-year journey with her mother’s Alzheimer’s, the book delves into themes of grief, balance, acceptance, change, and, above all, love. Stokes recounts the gradual loss of her mother, sharing how she learned to embrace the evolving versions of her. While not always consistent in this endeavor, she navigated the situation with resilience, steering through unwanted yet unavoidable challenges.
The narrative, though mostly linear, mirrors the workings of memory, where a small detail can spark an entirely new recollection. The book also carries a spiritual undertone, exploring concepts of life, death, and the possibility of an afterlife. The mindful and intentional journey of the labyrinth—both as a concept and through specific examples worldwide—was a constant presence for Stokes and her family, eventually becoming a metaphor for their experience. The labyrinth in her parents’ backyard, lovingly constructed by family members, symbolizes a sanctuary, providing peace within a convoluted path. Stokes revisits this imagery throughout her book, using it to illustrate the emotions accompanying the disease’s progression.
This book will be painfully familiar to those who have lost or are in the process of losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s. It offers comfort in a shared experience. Despite its deeply personal nature, Stokes’ story resonates universally. Even readers without direct experience with Alzheimer’s may relate to the gradual loss of a parent. Stokes writes with clarity and frankness, delivering a story that is heartfelt and heartbreaking.
Pages: 136 | ISBN : 978-1955683418
LITERARY TITAN 