♦ Award-Winning American Author, Speaker, Radio Host & Broadcast TV Analyst, Caregiver & Eldercare Legislation Advocate
♦ Created by Mel Peters ♦ Produced by Grandpa’s Dream Productions
♦The Caregiver’s Companion: Caring for Your Loved One Medically, Financially and Emotionally While Caring for Yourself
♦Dedication
To my dad, Pastor William L. Brent,Th.D I will be forever grateful to have been blessed with him, the most wonderful and amazing parent I could have ever hoped or asked for. And a special dedication and thanks to the unsung caregivers throughout the world.
Many individuals deserve to be acknowledged for the support they have given me in life and in the preparation of this book. A special thanks goes to California state legislators, the California Department of Aging, Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay in California and the countless individuals who shared with me their personal experiences as a caregiver and the successes and challenges of caregiving. The
advice, admonitions and anecdotes provided by the unsung caregivers around the globe are the basis of my work. I must also acknowledge a former caregiver of three loved ones, Mrs. Thell Dodd, of Los Angeles, California. She has mentored and encouraged me over the past twenty-three years. And I would like to express my gratitude to Reverend Dr. Mary Newbern-Williams, my spiritual sister, whom I have known for nearly twenty-six years; Nathan Hare, Ph.D.; Dr. Oscar Jackson, who helped me to understand and walk through my healing process; Madame Chair Mariko Yamada and Robert McLaughlin of the California State Assembly’s Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care, who are helping in the mission to improve the laws in the United States that protect the rights of the aging; and Carolyn Rosenblatt, Patricia Tyson, William Davis and Melissa Harris, all of whom shared their personal stories or were interviewed for the purposes of this book.
My deepest thanks go to those who have helped me prepare, package and promote this book. I owe a big thanks to Rebecca Hunt, Cheryl Ross, Leticia Gomez, and Raoul Davis, who helped me transform my pain into passion in the development of this book.
SPECIAL THANKS ALSO GO TO:
♦Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq., regional vice president, AARP
♦Tanya Acker, volunteer coordinator and legal assistant, AARP
♦Carolyn L. Rosenblatt, R.N., attorney, AgingParents.com
♦Mikol S. Davis, Ph.D., AgingParents.com
♦Michael Pope, CEO, Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay
♦Lance Reynolds, president, Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay
♦Dr. Debra Dobbs, associate professor, University of South
♦Florida, School of Aging Studies
♦Lottie Watts, producer and reporter, University of South
♦Florida (WUSF) Public Media
♦Carson Cooper, host, University of South Florida (WUSF) ♦Public Media
♦David Shulman, Ginsburg Shulman Attorneys at Law
♦Gloria G. Lawlah, Secretary of Aging, Maryland Department of Aging
♦JC Hayward, anchor and vice president for media outreach,
♦Washington, D.C., CBS affiliate
♦Janelle Wang, anchor, KNTV in San Jose, California
♦Dr. Brenda Wade, author and national TV personality
♦Margaret Larson, anchor and reporter, KING 5 in Seattle, Washington
♦Janice Edwards, host and producer, Bay Area Vista, airs in the Bay Area and Sacramento, California
♦Perry Atkinson, president, theDove TV in Oregon
♦Cynthia Butler, producer, Sacramento & Company, airs on News 10 in Sacramento, California
♦Anthony James, health, wellness and fitness coach
♦Ian Popeson, nutritional/personal chef, certified personal trainer
♦Sandi M. Jackson, CEO, life coach of sisters In fitness & health ♦ life coach,
