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Authors develop bond through Alzheimer's experiences

Mooresville Tribune - 12/1/2017

Three authors from three different parts of the country, who first met in cyberspace, flew to Florida recently to discuss one of the most difficult experiences of their lives ? caring for parents with dementia.

Ann Campanella of Huntersville, Jean Lee from Litchfield, Ohio, and Vicki Tapia from Billings, Montana, all had mothers who developed Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a condition affecting over 5 million Americans and the sixth leading cause of death. According to the Alzheimer's Association, in 2017, over 15 million caregivers provide an estimated 18.2 hours of unpaid care. Ann, Jean and Vicki each fell into the role of caregiver.

The three women converged in Naples, Fla., after writing memoirs about caring for their parents. Both of Jean's parents were diagnosed with Alzheimer's on the same day. Vicki's father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease-related dementia, followed closely by her mother with Alzheimer's. Ann's mother had Alzheimer's for 14 years, during the same time Ann was trying to become a mother.

The women met online when they were working to promote their books.

Jean and Vicki are founding members of AlzAuthors, along with writers Marianne Sciucco and Shannon Wiersbitzky. AlzAuthors is a blog site of over 100 well-vetted books and resources about Alzheimer's and dementia, created for those in need. Ann connected with Jean, Vicki and Marianne through AlzAuthors, and she joined the management team this year, along with children's author Kathryn Harrison.

Each of the authors felt alone in her journey of caring for her parents. "I struggled to find practical, helpful information to guide my way," said Vicki. "Somebody Stole My Iron began as a diary to help me cope, but emerged as a road map for others."

Jean and Ann discovered after meeting that they had both spent hours in the middle of the night, after long days of caregiving, searching for resources about Alzheimer's. "I wrote Alzheimer's Daughter with the hope that the story of my parents' parallel decline might be helpful to others," said Jean.

Ann was only 33 when her mother began showing signs of Alzheimer's. "I had no idea what to do, how to cope," she said. "But I wrote my way through it, trusting that Motherhood: Lost and Found would provide a light for someone else facing this kind of loss."

Ann, Jean and Vicki felt an immediate sisterhood with each other and the writers that AlzAuthors represents. "Some people might question the idea of flying to Florida to meet women they'd never met in person," says Ann. "But to me, it never felt like a risk. I had worked with these women, read their stories, talked with them on Google Hangouts. I knew their hearts and admired them deeply before ever setting eyes on them in the flesh."

"It's amazing to think we were all writing our stories in different parts of the country, and now we're friends," says Vicki.

"More than friends," says Jean. "It's as if we're part of the same family."

For more information about Motherhood: Lost and Found by Ann Campanella, Alzheimer's Daughter by Jean Lee and Somebody Stole My Iron by Vicki Tapia see the AlzAuthors.com blogsite. AlzAuthors is a resource for memoirs, fiction, children and young adult books, poetry, caregiving guides and more. It was founded to bring knowledge, comfort and understanding to others on the journey through Alzheimer's and dementia.

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