Gone Without a Trace

Rating:
Summary: Health & Medicine
Review: Gone Without A Trace is a book which artfully combines the personal story of author, Marianne D. Caldwell, with a self-help guide for families. This book has important messages for families, for health care providers, and for the law enforcement community.

Rating:
Summary: Imagine...
Review: Imagine your mother wandering off from a school softball game. Imagine searching frantically for her for three years. Imagine her remains being found in the woods where she had died. This happened to Marianne Dickerman Caldwell's mother. Stella Mallory Dickerman was an educated woman who had gone back to get her Master's degree after having her children. She was a teacher, an artist, and a world-traveller. She also had Alzheimer's Disease. At age 83, on a September day in 1991, Stella went for a walk, and she was never seen again. Marianne Caldwell's book about this experience is not only a very poignant and personal story, but it also offers comfort and guidance to families who have experienced loss; and assistance for families who are searching for a missing loved one. With those she used for her mother, Marianne gives a sample query letter, missing persons profile, and letter to a medical examiner. She also lists the addresses and phone numbers for the Alzheimer's Association's Safe Return Program and for State Agencies on Aging, as well as other helpful organizations.

Rating:
Summary: Health & Medicine
Review: Losing a loved one through a sudden disappearance is one of life's traumatic events affecting families and communities. Caldwell, poignantly reveals the personal journey she took when her 83 year old mother, who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, quietly vanished from a New Hampshire neighborhood schoolyard in 1991. Factual information about Alzheimer's, the grieving process, and the search for missing persons are sensitively combined with a personal life tribute to Stella Dickerman. Caldwell highlight's the pitfalls of the current search process while presenting preventive tips useful in times of crisis. A unique "cookbook" recipe for the search process is provided, complete with sample letters: a missing person profile sample, alert notice sample and medical examiner letter are included. Resource names, resource centers for the Alzheimer'' Association Safe Return Program, and a variety of suggested readings complete this handy volume. An excellent choice for public libraries at an excellent price. --Linda Malone, Library Journal Review 04/05.

Rating:
Summary: Loss of a loved one
Review: The very poignant and personal story of Marianne Caldwell's experience after the disappearance of her mother, Stella Dickerman, explores the primary human emotions involved in the loss of a loved one. The book provides organized assistance for those who may be forced to search for a missing loved one. Ms. Caldwell shares her knowledge that was gleaned over many months of searching for her missing mother, who was a victim of Alzheimer's disease.

As important as the ability to identify and empathize with the emotions outlined in this text over such a tragedy, is the information Ms. Caldwell details on how to interact with governmental agencies when confronted with a disappearance and possible death of a loved one. She clarifies official rules and regulations and outlines the names, addresses, and phone numbers of important and helpful agencies that are in existence to assist people in this unfortunate circumstance. The book offers examples of sample letters to write to the various organizations, and describes how to more assertively demand action in some instances. In addition, there are recommendations of proactive ways to work with patients who have Alzheimer's disease to keep them safe, but still be able to enjoy the life around them.

This book is not just about loss and grief for those who work with home care, and hospice patients, it is beneficial for parents, adult children of aging parents, and other health care professionals. This book is concise, well-written, and outlined in an organized manner for easy retrieval of important information.

T.M. Marrelli's HOME CARE NURSE NEWS. 2/96.