Delivery

Every day in my work as a Long-Term Care Insurance Specialist I work with families as they try and develop a Strategy to deal with the the potential for a love one or themsleves needing long term care. In most cases until something happens to one's own family most people are in deniel. "It will happen to someone else but never to me or our family."

I always try to paint a picture for potential clients by using my own families experiences with needing care to make the issues more real. From now on I will just give them a copy of the book. It will do a much better job.

I read the "House On Beartown Road" in one sitting on a rainy Sunday with tears in my eyes as I finally understood how lucky my own family was to have had my mom as a fulltime caregiver to both sets of grandparents as well as my father over a period of years. People like Elizabeth Cohen and my mom are great examples of loving family members that did what needed to be done with grace, dignity and a sense of humor. I didn't understand or fully appreciate the concept of being a caregiver while running around in my on life and watching my mom from a distance but after reading the book I sure did!

I strongly suggest that every adult with aging parents read the book today as tomorrow may be to late. It will make you think in many different ways. For some reason I really think the author wrote the book to help the rest of us to be better prepared to deal with this growing national crisis of aging parents. Thanks to Ms. Cohen.

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I've read and reviewed lots of books about Alzheimer's, but I think I can honestly say this is the most beautifully written that I've ever read. Elizabeth Cohen, at the time a single parent, writes of her baby girl Ava's growing and learning at the same time that she write's of her retired Economics professor father's forgetting and his descent into Alzheimer's disease. Set in a rural New York state farmhouse, the events of daily life bring both tears and laughter, and the helpful caring neighbors warm our hearts. Every time I began reading, I didn't want to put down this book, and yet, I didn't want to finish because I knew how I would miss Elizabeth, her Daddy, baby Ava, Jody the helpful caregiver, and all of the wonderful neighbors that surrounded them. Highly recommended, a must read for all caregivers of Alzheimer's patients!

The House on Beartown Road is an insightful memoir of how Elizabeth Cohen and her family cope with her father's journey down the path of Alzheimer's Disease. I originally bought this book because of my own dad's struggle with this disease; I felt the anger and the heartache and the unfairness of it all. Elizabeth changed my outlook. She reached out with her own story and taught me that along with the tears, there are still memories that can be created and laughter that can be shared. She understands. I cannot thsnk her enough for writing with such warmth and honesty. It's so cathartic that I've read it over and over again.

John Robbins has done it again! After reading his book "Diet For A New America" my life was forever changed. And now, "Reclaiming Our Health" has shattered my world view once again.

Though non-fiction, this is a powerful book that I could not put down. It exposes the problems of the modern medical industry and shakes it to its very core. This is a must-read for every woman, cancer patient, AIDS victim -- anyone who has every dealth with personal illness or that of a loved one.

I read this book first in sections, but then decided to read the whole thing as my interest progressed.

I already knew some of the persecution of the chiropractic industry by money-hungry conventional doctors, but some of the stuff totally shocked me. I've seen some of the statistics that chiropractors have come up with, extensive studies that show that it has extremely low health risks and helps a lot more with lower back pain than conventional "give me the pill" medicine. However, this book totally blew the cover off the...American Medical Association, an organization I once took for granted to be dedicated to my health and well-being.

If everyone in the waiting room of a doctor's clinic were to read this book, all health care in America would be for the better.

Furthermore, the interesting sections on women and fertility totally blew me away. I was furious at the stuff they were doing to hurt and control women who went to doctors for real health reasons, hoping to get better, only to be subjected to the standard system of running tests and being tied to one position. I myself was delivered by C-section, and having been abandoned by my mother, I can also attest to the ugly and disgusting nature of conventional birth documented so well by John Robbins. The persecution of midwives, who have near-flawless records for safe delivery of newborn babies was also shocking. I had no idea that women giving birth at home do better than in hospitals, in terms of mortality rates.

The final section is worth reading alone if you have cancer. It states very clearly using facts and actual experiences how deliberately and unfortunately the medical establishment has been "treating" people (if I may use that word) with cancer, without realizing that the only goal of a person with illness is wellness and wholeness, not merely to eradicate and destroy an organism that seems foreign and toxic. It also exposes the "fact" that there have been cancer treatments with possible cures, existing for decades, which have been blocked by the cancer establishment out of hope for conventional therapies, blind ignorance, or fear of malpractice suits (you can be sued for not using "technology" to treat an illness ... but what if you just want to get better?).

The beauty of John Robbins' words inspire me. It's hard not to be moved by good stories of good doctors helping to make things better. It's hard not to believe that things could also be better if we changed our current system. Always true to form, this book discusses ways in which to reform health care that would truly work, and at minimal cost.

If you're a nonbeliever of universal health care, low-cost medicine, or just out of luck with personal illness, I highly recommend this book.

Over the past thirty years I have read about 100 books on the subject of health. Among the very best of the books I have read are two of John Robbins' other books, Diet for a New America and The Food Revolution, but I don't feel the need to review these remarkable books; they have been well reviewed by others, and I recommend you check them both out in Amazon. However, I simply had to add my voice to the reviews of Reclaiming Our Health.

This book is predominantly about the medical establishment, what has gone wrong with it, and what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones (if you can get them to listen to you). It is not a condemnation of all things conventional nor an endorsement of all things alternative. Some of the greatest heroes of the book are M.D.'s practicing both conventional and alternative therapies. This book seeks to guide us to the best of both worlds while warning us about the dangers to be found in each. However, the worst dangers by far appear to be in the conventional medical establishment where the admonition "first, do no harm" seems to have been long forgotten.

This book made me cry. This book infuriated me. It is filled with one outrage after another. But wouldn't you rather read about them than be subjected to them (or watch your loved ones be subjected to them) by not being informed beforehand? I know I would.

This is one of those rare books that is truly empowering. That's what John Robbins does so well. He does the intensive research that most of us neither would nor could do. We are blessed by his enormous contribution to mankind.

And my fellow women, you will be shocked to read some of the material in this book on how women have been treated in society and how this has influenced the way we have been treated by much of the medical community. I have shared a bit of the information with co-workers and have actually seen jaws drop open. We have not been told the complete story of how dreadfully many women have been treated in our history. It is an abomination. (Written with apologies to all of the sincerely wonderful men out there.)

Rest assured that among the very bad news of this book is a good deal of hopeful news about prevention and treatments that are out there now, but this information will probably be a long time coming to the general public. It is only through leaders like John Robbins that we are blessed to know about it now.

Read this book before you or someone you love becomes ill. Read it and pass it on.

THIS BOOK IS FABULOUS, A MUST READ FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND PERSONNEL. DESMOND UNDERSTANDS PATIENTS' NEEDS AND FEARS ONLY TOO WELL AND PASSES THE INFORMATION ON CLEARLY AND CONCISELY. I RECOMMEND IT FOR PROSPECTIVE PATIENTS (MOST OF US) SO THEY WILL BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE PROBLEMS AND MISCOMMUNICATION. BRAVO TO THE AUTHORS!

This book is a first. It provides an intellegent, thorough insight on how best to communicate with patients. Most impressive to me was the fact that it was loaded with information, and yet was a very easy read. The use of actual stories brought the message to life, and demonstrated how well the authors knew the practical value of communication skills. I will be interested to see other professions start using this book.

Many doctors take their communication skills for granted, but the sad fact remains that most of us do not do a good job talking to our patients. Learning how to improve your bedside manner is extremely difficult to do, but this book shows you how you can do so. Reading this book is likely to be one of the best investments of your time you can make - and it's full of practically useful stuff you can implement immediately !

Author Marilee Driscoll has helped consumers and financial professionals alike by creating this guide. Long-term care planning is a complex topic, and the author has made the exploration interesting, complete, and fun.
Marilee Driscoll should be congratulated for not only raising timely and critical issues, but also for addressing her topic clearly with specific guidelines and recommendations.
This book is a keeper...for reading and reference.
...

What a great reference book for a subject that we find so hard to face! Marilee Driscoll's book not only explains all of the options that are available in a concise, easy to understand way, but you can also pick an area that you need to research without starting at the beginning of the book. I originally bought the book to see what the options are for my parents, but it also made me think about starting to plan for my own long-term care. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to make sure that they will be prepared to get the care that they want!

Without this book I wouldn't have had the courage to face long-term care planning. I perceived the topic as impossibly complex, and frankly, terrifying. The book is amazingly readable for such a dry topic, and it clarified and simplified the issues for me. When I met with my insurance agent, I had a long list of questions about the options in the application. He knew I wasn't a pushover, and actually, I don't think he ever had a client who asked so many solid and informed questions! Considering the devastating cost of nursing homes, this book has potentially saved me many (many!) thousands of dollars. I highly recommend the book to anyone "of a certain age" who knows (or suspects) that they should be worried about long-term care. If you don't know where to start, or you want to sanity check your existing plan, don't even think about it. Just purchase this book!

LARRY ROSE has Alzheimer's disease. It is little comfort to him that he is among the millions of others strickened with this debilitating disease. What should be of comfort to the reader is that this warm, witty, and intelligent man is willing to bare his soul and share his experiences so that we can understand more about this disease. In his touching book, SHOW ME THE WAY TO GO HOME, Rose gives us a brief glimpse into a window of life that few understand. Rose presents each stage with the freshness of someone who knows not what the future holds. Breathtaking in its innocence, Rose's words hold special meaning to anyone who knows someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The book opens with a penetrating look at the "Man that was"---a brilliant electrical engineer with a thirst for knowledge and a passion for life. Rose's son, Jeff, has written a beautiful introduction that describes his joyful memories of growing up with his dad---and the deep love that exists between them. Rose's son also express his frusteration with a disease and his sadness at its striking such a wonderful and young (54) man as his father. This book is written with the goal of giving the reader a deeper understanding of the disease's affects from the inside. A perspective of someone who knows of what he speaks. SHOW ME THE WAY TO GO HOME, is an outstanding, provocative read. Rose has not only found a way to tell us about the disease, he's also found a way to make us comprehend and empathize with sufferers around the world without once asking for pity.

I have heard it said that "He has achieved succes who has lived well, laughed often and loved much". Larry Rose, the author of "Show me the way to go home" has achieved success. Rose will leave this world a better place than he found it by giving us this book. It is a book that cannot be put down until you have read the last page then leaves us wanting to learn more. Rose has given us the best he has to give and has never lacked the appreciation of others that have helped him along his journey through Alzheimer's disease. His life should be an inspiration to all of us. Through his book, Rose has gained the respect of intelligent people and the love of all who have been fortunate to read it. Rose is fighting this disease with the grace of a true hero. His story in an inspiration: his memory will be a benediction. I am looking forward to reading his next book. Kathy Smith RN

My mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease at fifty years. I found Larry Rose's account of what was happening to be a wonderful way to relate to her in a way that she was unable to describe to me. This book will be a "hard to put down" account of daily life for those facing similar experiences along the way through this dibilitating illness that robs so much. Larry finds a positive light to shine on purpose in life and to keep on living. He is truly a courageous story that should not be missed. A big five star read with a human approach.

This is a great book...anyone with arthritis owes it to themselves to check this one out. I read the book (in one day) and have been following the therapy (antibiotic treatment) described in it for 2 years now. Having Rheumatoid Arthritis - this book and the treatment have improved my life...dramatically. I'm able to do "everyday" things again - and it's wonderful! The book is very easy to read - giving detailed information and explanations of what the treatment is, how it's administered and what the possible results could be. I highly recommnend reading it today!

Since being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, I have read a vast number of books about it and about different treatments. However, this book really resonates! It is well written, easy to understand, credits the reader with having intelligence, and positions its argument very well. It was also interesting to read the case studies alongside the theory of the treatment. I found it so convincing that I am going to try the treatment. I was also impressed that when I e-mailed the author to ask for Australian contacts, I received a reply a day later. An excellent book, with all possible aspects of the treatment discussed.

I am completly amazed by what this book has said! I have thought for years, that the methods that were applied to me were not the correct medicine. The drugs only made me worse. I have sent this book to a friend that also has RA and is terrible shape. Every example in the book has pertained to me. Now to find a Dr. in my area that can help. I live in mid CA. I will present my specialist with this book and ask him if he will read it and follow this plan. If not I'll be on my way to new DR. Thank you, Thank you! DR. Brown and all who helped and the author Henry Scammell for his work.

Alex

The author, Frank Deford, writes about his daughter's life. A young innocent girl at the age of eight realizes she has a disease called Cystic Fibrosis. This disease is the number one child killer. Alex passes away in 1980 at eight years old. Reading this book made me more grateful towards life. What I like most about this book is the way Deford makes a picture clear in our minds as we read along. Frank Deford talks mostly about his relationship with Alex, although the brother "Chrish" (Chris) is mentioned often and her mother is not. Alex passes away early in the book; therefore the book is made up of mostly stories that happen to Alex and between her family. The stories that Deford writes are mostly sad, others boring, and even some funny. I thought it was kind of odd that he didn't refer to his wife or Alex's mother a lot, being the other parent. I would recommend this book to parents, but not to 18-year-old boys like myself who enjoy books that keep you at the edge of your seat.

~ Nate

The first time I read this book was when I was eight. You can imagine how hard this book hit me- how hard I cried to think that someone my age could die like that. I've read this book on and off for the past ten years of my life (I am now sixteen). I still can't describe what I feel when I read it- the sense of loss mixes with my pride for Alex. When I look at her picture on the cover my throat closes up- and then I imagine what her family must feel like. Death is not the end, but sometimes it is just too much. The ironic thing is that once you are dead, the pain experienced doesn't seem to matter as much as the love that was lived and the growth that took place. I know this was long, but I just finished reading the book over again and I had the same intense feelings I have always gotten from it. That gorgeous, beautiful little girl did it again. She always reminds me that there is a reason to live, and she gave me a means to do it.

The first time I've read this book I was in the 5th grade. I absolutely adore this book. Alex with such courage and purity was the kindest of kindred spirits. She will always have a place in my heart. I look foward to meeting her in heaven. Alex will always be my hero. I feel for the family but I feel mostly sad for Chris. Like Alex understood he would be all alone without a brother or a sister. For the person who wrote a review on Feb.7 1999 you can get Alex's story from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation webpage under publications. For all of you out there read the book it will definitely change your life. Thank you Mr. Deford for writing about your courageous little girl. And theank you Alex for just being you.

The work points to many of the negations in the current health
care delivery systems in the USA. It spends too much money and
the paperwork is burdensome, generally uninformative and
inefficient. The system needs a separation between the doctor
and the pharmaceutical industry because the needs of the general
public demand an independent attitude on the part of physicians.
Emergency rooms are utilized instead of patient clinics.
This contributes to bloated costs. The HMO co-pay can be burdensome for patients. In addition, there is a slow migration
toward the universal health care coverage in order to correct
some of these inefficiencies and distribute the resource to
persons uncovered or undercovered by the present protocols
and medical delivery systems.

As the medical director of a "safety net" community clinic I confront the trajedy that is our U.S. health care system on a daily basis. Bob LeBow's book succinctly captures the perversions and frustrations that have grown out of our free market approach to health care. Squeezing profits from the weak and vulnerable may be a way, but should not be the American way. Bob highlights the myths sponsored by the big money interests in the current system, and offers realistic solutions that appear entirely within our grasp. After reading Health Care Meltdown I am forced to reconsider what I do for a living. By serving as a safety net provider, by providing care for the poor and sick who are systematically excluded from our health care system, am I enabling our broken system to persist? Perhaps I should instead stand back and let the current system implode, hoping for a more just and equitable system to emerge from the ashes.

In more than 20 years teaching a course focusing on analysis of American health care history and policy, I have yet to discover a more persuasive diagnosis of our health care delivery system's ills or a more convincing case for how to cure them. Dr. Lebow brings to this examination direct experience as a practicing physician from which he draws numerous stirring personal accounts. To his clinical perspective, he adds an extraordinary command of the broader economic and political issues essential for understanding the context and causes of America's current health care crisis epitomized by the alarming number of our country's uninsured--now about 44 million and growing. The book is honest, engaging, and sure to stimulate discussion with its clear prescription for change. With lively prose and strategically placed humor, he makes complex matters understandable. His humanity and passion are the earmarks of a brilliant teacher. Regardless of how deeply you presently understand America's health care system, you can learn from this book. And regardless of your political inclinations in respect to his advocacy of a single-payer solution, you can't ignore his meticulous presentation of the facts or the relentless logic of his conclusions from them.

Ron Rozelle does an amazing job of recalling the sights, sounds, and conversations in a small Texas town during his growing-up years in the 50's. He focuses on his father, the local school superintendant, who always seemed to have his world under control. As the book progresses, the author chronicles his father's decline into Alzheimer's disease and a loss of the control he had always exhibited. Rozelle alternates between his early years and his adulthood and tells his father's story with touching sensitivity. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author.

A memoir called Into That Good Night by Ron Rozelle,
is the story told from Ron's point of view when he was
growing up in Oakwood and even in his present day
life. It talks about segregation in schools and in
some stores throughout the town where he grew up. This
book shows the change Ron goes through with his family
when his mother becomes sick with lung cancer. Ron
learns to appreciate his family much more as he got
older and started to realize he won't have parents
forever. He ultimately realizes this when his father
looses his battle with Alzheimer's disease. You also
see segregation come to an end in Oakwood as time
progresses. You see the town where everyone knew
everyone suddenly become very lonely and empty after
most of the population got old and passed away. There
weren't many people moving in to Oakwood because it
didn't have many job opportunities.
Ron wrote this book in a then and now format. Every
other chapter switches, describing his child hood and
what happened in the future. It is a little confusing
but you catch on right away. It's very interesting
this way because it keeps you wondering, "What
happened to Ron".
Ron's ability to describe things just painted a clear
picture of what everything was like for him back then
in my mind. He gets right to the point when he rights,
it's not hard to comprehend or anything. That is what
is likeable about his style of writing. He writes in a
very appealing manner. Into That Good Night's main
focus is about Ron's relationship with his dad.
Ron and his father were very close because Ron's
father is a very calm kind of guy. He doesn't show
much emotion where as his mother is described as moody
and not afraid to yell when something makes his mad.
This is why he had more of a connection with his
father because in many ways he was like his father.
Ron is not quick to show emotion either. Ron and his
father form a special bond.
Ron graduates high school and is drafted in to the
military. He gets shipped off to Germany for a year.
In the mean time, his mother's health is decreasing.
She is getting worse and the doctors say she doesn't
have much time left. She started chain smoking when
Ron was a kid and that led her to her deathbed.
Fortunately Ron got to say goodbye to his mom right
before he headed off to the airport to be shipped off.
He felt that finally, he and his mother were at peace
with each other.
Ron and his dad form a strong bond after Ron gets
back from the Army and gets his own apartment. His dad
comes to visit him and they spend quality time
together. A few years later Ron's father eventually
re-marries and lives with his new wife. When Ron's
father gets in his older years he starts forgetting
things. His loss of memory starts increasing and he's
even forgetting simple things like where he is. He is
diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
What is Ron going to do when one of the most
important people in his life is starting to forget who
his own son is. What is it like to die not remembering
what your life was like and what your legacy will be.
This story was very easy to relate to. It is a very
easy understanding and likeable memoir of Ron Rozelle.

A beautifully written memoir by Ron Rozelle whose father had Alzheimer's. Set in the author's hometown, a small town in east Texas, this account reflects not only on the time Alzheimer's affected his dad, but there are flashbacks to his years of growing up in that town and remembered incidents in his family. This book, deservingly so, was a PEN America West Creative Nonfiction Prize finalist and a Texas Institute of Letters Carr P. Collins Nonfiction Award finalist. It is good, relaxing reading as a coming-of-age in a small town story as well as an Alzheimer's memoir.

Heather Remoff is a remarkable observer--of nature, of her neighbors, and of herself as she encounters and overcomes cancer. This book captures the essence of a small town, its natural and social world, and Heather's ability to draw strength from both. This is a wonderful book and a wonderful read!

Remoff makes her land and special characters that live there come alive. Her bout with cancer is not depressing;she draws much from the enviornment to enjoy life and passes that verve on to me. Her attention to detail reminds me of another writer, Ann Dillard. I enjoyed the book so much that I gave it to another reader that likes places like Osprey Lake.

I read this wonderfully written and deeply felt book a few years ago, after my mother succumbed to biliary cancer and long before I triumphed over my own cancer (prostate). During my year of cancer and recovery, I often thought of Remoff's book -- a gem that created a resonance I still feel today -- of her resilience and love of life. Familiar with the setting, Eagle's Mere (a quaint, old Victorian village set atop a picturesque mountain, frequented by folks of means throughout much of the 20th century), I'd say she had ample opportunity to commune with the seasons. But the beauty of her love letter lies in its human light. We see an engaging, luminous spirit that will not yield to the dark, nefarious work of cancer, a woman deeply connected to family, friends and community. Her dog Chuckles, her running, her ruminations, her alternative healthcare approaches, her strong yet sensitive husband -- all give her reason to live. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone whose life has been affected by cancer. This book is life, fully lived, soulfully rendered, teeming with laughter and foolishness amid the fear and pain of facing one's inescapable mortality.