THE GIFT OF ALZHEIMER'S – Heart and Soul Journey

It may be hard to imagine how a conversation with a person suffering from Alzheimer's could become an utterly absorbing read. Yet this is the result of this highly unusual book by Maggie La Tourelle about the relationship with her mother in the last four years of her life. The book starts with the move of the author's mother to a care home and a frank account of her close family members so that we have a context for understanding what follows. The main part of the book is referred to as the 'Heart and Soul Journey' and consists of edited conversations which took place between the author and her mother together with a personal commentary by the author. The last chapter contains the author's reflections relevant to us all, as well as inspiring guidelines for carers and therapists who are looking after those with Alzheimer's. What the author discovers is that the degeneration of her mother's brain results in dissolution of self, past and present, so there is only now. It is this which the author believes enabled her mother to access other levels of consciousness, referred to in the book as 'the Other World'. Her mother's state also allows for complete honesty in the moment about what she is experiencing, helped by the unconditional loving presence of the author who is able to hear what her mother is saying as meaningful. The result, on one level, is the author experiences the new psychic abilities of her mother, including telepathy and precognition. On another level, the new state of consciousness of the mother allows for healing to take place for herself in respect of her past and in respect of other members of the family, including the author herself and her deceased sister. And on yet another level, the mother is able to gain insight into the process of dying, both in this world and the Other World, with the result being a profound absence of fear of death. All this is revealed in the staggeringly honest, emotional and intimate exchanges between mother and daughter. There are two observations I would make about the book which I think are relevant to potential readers. The first is that, after quoting what her mother says, the author often describes in some detail what she feels her mother really means, together with her own reactions and interpretations. In this way, the approach of the author is heuristic (although the book does not pretend to be academic qualitative research.) Some readers might feel they want to challenge interpretations reached by the author, but to engage with the book in this way would, in my view, be missing the point. The author conveys over and over again her authentic and fully disclosed perspective and, like all heuristic accounts, going with the author on her subjective journey is what enables our own eyes to be opened by it, even if it does not reflect our personal world view. The second observation is that the author only includes in the book those parts of the conversations with her mother which she considered contained wisdom and insight. In the last chapter the author says she could, therefore, be said to have 'romanticised' the reality of the Alzheimer's condition. The author also acknowledges that the experience of others caring for those with Alzheimer's might be that of relentless negativity, through no lack of love on the part of the carers. I would say rather that the orientation of this book is to focus on the upside aspects of Alzheimer's, as its very title conveys. I would still urge those caring for a person with Alzheimer's to read this book even if their experience is very different for the author's. As the author says, it is very easy for carers to project their own suffering about the situation onto their loved ones, and this book beautifully models how to free oneself from this projection and engage in a more positive way. Further recent scientific research on the effect of Alzheimer's on the brain, referred to in the last chapter of the book, shows why some of the experiences of the author should not be unique. This book is by no means just for those people caring for those with Alzheimer's or those who have an interest in the dying process. I have already made good use of some of the principles articulated in the last chapter in my encounters with people who are alive and well. Most important of all, this book should be read as a testament to the power of love in overcoming disease and dysfunction.