No One Tells You This

Even with today’s medical advancements, family and friends are taking on the role of caregiver for their loved ones more than ever. When her mother was diagnosed with dementia, author Beth Oakley, along with her mother’s partner, made the same choice out of love. Yet, this decision came with unexpected challenges. As Beth learned more about the disease—and heard stories like her own—she increasingly realized these challenges didn’t have to be so unexpected. Her family’s journey was at times isolating, as the COVID-19 pandemic raged on.

So, Beth began writing her own story. She interviewed others caring for a family member or friend battling dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. No One Tells You This: True Stories of Caring for a Loved One with Dementia is a collection of stories based on these interviews and the author’s own experiences. They offer insights into each stage of caregiving, from the first signs, to accepting the diagnosis and learning how to give support, to navigating family dynamics and the Canadian healthcare system. Informative and compassionate, these stories offer a realistic perspective on the challenges of this incurable disease.

As the disease presents itself in a myriad of ways, so too do these voices and their experiences. The joys and struggles, the losses and blessings—No One Tells You This shares them all. Because, as much as caregiving is a journey on a road of uncertainty, no one has to do it alone.