Swimming Solo

Susan Rava’s story begins with the first suspicion that her father-in-law, Paul, was lapsing into dementia after he set out to swim solo across Lake Michigan. Subsequently, Paul's wife, Silvia, and Susan Rava's parents, George and Dorothy, succumb to Alzheimer's disease.
This beautifully written memoir culminates with Dorothy's death, 14 years after Paul's fateful swim. Rava speaks honestly about the emotional and spiritual challenges she, her husband, John, and other members of their family faced as they learned how to say goodbye to four vital, accomplished people as they retreated into dementia.