My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's
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- Create Date：2023-04-13 20:21:27
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Sandeep Jauhar
- ISBN：B09Y46NCS5
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Summary
"Blending the humor， compassion， and absorbing family drama of first-rate memoir with expert science writing， [Sandeep Jauhar] has composed a can’t-miss introduction to what has been called The Age of Alzheimer’s。" —Sanjay Gupta， author of Keep Sharp and World War C
A deeply affecting memoir of a father's descent into dementia， and a revelatory inquiry into why the human brain degenerates with age and what we can do about it。
Almost six million Americans—about one in every ten people over the age of sixty-five—have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias， and this number is projected to more than double by 2050。 What is it like to live with and amid this increasingly prevalent condition—an affliction that some fear more than death？ In My Father’s Brain ， the distinguished physician and author Sandeep Jauhar sets his father’s descent into Alzheimer’s alongside his own journey toward understanding this disease and how it might best be coped with， if not cured。
In an intimate memoir rich with humor and heartbreak， Jauhar relates how his immigrant father and extended family felt， quarreled， and found their way through the dissolution of a cherished life。 Along the way， he lucidly exposes what happens in the brain as we age and our memory falters， and explores everything from the history of ancient Greece to the most cutting-edge neurological—and bioethical—research。 Throughout， My Father’s Brain confronts the moral and psychological concerns that arise when family members must become caregivers， when children’s and parents’ roles reverse， and when we must accept unforeseen turns in our closest relationships—and in our understanding of what it is to have a self。 The result is a work of essential insight into dementia， and into how scientists， caregivers， and all of us in an aging society are reckoning with the fallout。
A deeply affecting memoir of a father's descent into dementia， and a revelatory inquiry into why the human brain degenerates with age and what we can do about it。
Almost six million Americans—about one in every ten people over the age of sixty-five—have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias， and this number is projected to more than double by 2050。 What is it like to live with and amid this increasingly prevalent condition—an affliction that some fear more than death？ In My Father’s Brain ， the distinguished physician and author Sandeep Jauhar sets his father’s descent into Alzheimer’s alongside his own journey toward understanding this disease and how it might best be coped with， if not cured。
In an intimate memoir rich with humor and heartbreak， Jauhar relates how his immigrant father and extended family felt， quarreled， and found their way through the dissolution of a cherished life。 Along the way， he lucidly exposes what happens in the brain as we age and our memory falters， and explores everything from the history of ancient Greece to the most cutting-edge neurological—and bioethical—research。 Throughout， My Father’s Brain confronts the moral and psychological concerns that arise when family members must become caregivers， when children’s and parents’ roles reverse， and when we must accept unforeseen turns in our closest relationships—and in our understanding of what it is to have a self。 The result is a work of essential insight into dementia， and into how scientists， caregivers， and all of us in an aging society are reckoning with the fallout。
Reviews
Sejil
，
An extremely gripping account of the disheartening realities faced by both the caregivers and sufferers of Alzheimer’s。 The author masterfully entwined personal memories with academic literature on this pervasive disease。 I savored every word and found solace in his ability to recount such poignant memories and inexplicable feelings。 This is a must read！
Brie
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I just happened to stumble across this book while perusing netgalley one evening and I think I felt compelled to request it because while not only does the topic of Alzheimer’s and dementia fascinate me， but my own family is currently experiencing the mental decline due to dementia of a very beloved family member。 I believe dementia is one of the absolute worst things to inflict an otherwise healthy individual。 It’s heartbreaking， infuriating， and gives you a feeling of utter helplessness。 I don I just happened to stumble across this book while perusing netgalley one evening and I think I felt compelled to request it because while not only does the topic of Alzheimer’s and dementia fascinate me， but my own family is currently experiencing the mental decline due to dementia of a very beloved family member。 I believe dementia is one of the absolute worst things to inflict an otherwise healthy individual。 It’s heartbreaking， infuriating， and gives you a feeling of utter helplessness。 I don’t wish this disease among my worst enemy。 Jauhar’s account of supporting his parents through his father’s mental decline was such a raw and honest telling and he didn’t sugar coat anything。 Especially not how he personally struggled so much with accepting his father’s situation and just how stubborn he was in facing the reality of it all。 Jahaur is a not only a writer， but he’s also a physician （a renowned cardiologist） so he does a great job of weaving in scientific data and information on Alzheimer’s disease amongst his own personal experience。 Overall， this was a quick read and perfect for anyone wanting to read a bit more on Alzheimer’s while also getting an intimate story of the toll this disease takes on everyone involved。 Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy for review。 All thoughts my own。 。。。more
Audrey
，
My Father’s Brain by Sandeep Jauhar is a personal memoir that explores the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the individual and the family。 As a physician-writer， Jauhar is well-positioned to weave together the narrative history of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with his own experience as a son and caregiver。One of the refreshing elements of this book is Jauhar’s honesty， sparing nothing in his portrayal of his father’s illness。 There are two parts to his honesty - the first is the portrayal o My Father’s Brain by Sandeep Jauhar is a personal memoir that explores the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the individual and the family。 As a physician-writer， Jauhar is well-positioned to weave together the narrative history of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with his own experience as a son and caregiver。One of the refreshing elements of this book is Jauhar’s honesty， sparing nothing in his portrayal of his father’s illness。 There are two parts to his honesty - the first is the portrayal of the insidious and relentless progression of Alzheimer’s disease on his father。 This is in contrast to many popular portrayals of Alzheimer’s disease， which can gloss over elements like toileting and inappropriate behaviors that can be seen as shameful。 Jauhar helps us recognize and normalize these signs as part of dementia， In separating these elements of disease from the person， I felt this actually helps maintain his father’s dignity more than an attempt to avoid discussing these。 The second part of his honesty is in readily admitting his own faults and blindspots as he comes to term with the diagnosis and how it changes his father。 Despite his privileged position as someone who is both medically-trained and well-off financially， Jauhar shows how unprepared he is for the all-consuming work of caregiving。 He gives us permission and grace to experience the same conflicting emotions he experiences as part of the long grieving process that comes with the life-changing diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and the constant loss that comes afterwards。 Increasingly， our society is recognizing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on an entire generation， but literary treatments of this illness are only starting to emerge。 My Father’s Brain is both medically accurate and poignantly and sensitively written - the first of many texts I’ve read that has done so。 It can be an emotionally difficult read， but I recommend to all who are interested in this subject。 Thanks to @fsgbooks for the eARC via @netgalley。 For further reading， I also recommend The End of Alzheimer’s by Jason Karlawish。 。。。more
Sarah
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My Father's Brain was a realistic， heartbreaking， and beautiful memoir from a son as he witnessed his father fall deeper into the descent of dementia。 It was mixed with the writer's own research （who himself is a renowned cardiologist） as he hoped to better understand what his father was going through。 This book struck a chord with me and brought back lots of memories when my family and I cared for my great aunt during her battle with Alzheimer's disease。 She was the liveliest woman I've ever kn My Father's Brain was a realistic， heartbreaking， and beautiful memoir from a son as he witnessed his father fall deeper into the descent of dementia。 It was mixed with the writer's own research （who himself is a renowned cardiologist） as he hoped to better understand what his father was going through。 This book struck a chord with me and brought back lots of memories when my family and I cared for my great aunt during her battle with Alzheimer's disease。 She was the liveliest woman I've ever known - she worked for an airline and traveled to other continents for a single day to go shopping， she had a bigger social life than I ever will， she poked fun of me for never drinking， and even when she was approaching 99， she would wonder why she was surrounded by so many "old bags" at the memory care facility。 It was devastating to watch her gradually lose her memories and transform into a new and different version of herself。 The writer of this book expressed the hopelessness and frustration so well。 Even so， there were several lighter moments throughout the book， and those brief flashes of lucidity from his father （and my great aunt） are what shine the most。 。。。more
Jennifer Blankfein
，
Several years ago， Dr。 Sandeep Jauhar wrote a book called Heart: A History。 It is about the heart， the organ as well as the center of emotions and feelings， medical research， science and his personal story。 Jauhar’s grandfather had a heart attack and died at a young age， which impacted his decision to become a cardiologist。 My father also suffered a minor heart attack at a young age and thankfully survived; as you probably know， I did not become a doctor！ …but my interest in the subject was piqu Several years ago， Dr。 Sandeep Jauhar wrote a book called Heart: A History。 It is about the heart， the organ as well as the center of emotions and feelings， medical research， science and his personal story。 Jauhar’s grandfather had a heart attack and died at a young age， which impacted his decision to become a cardiologist。 My father also suffered a minor heart attack at a young age and thankfully survived; as you probably know， I did not become a doctor！ …but my interest in the subject was piqued when I came across the book， and I found it incredibly informative， relatable and well written。Once again， Sandeep Jauhar has my attention as his new book， My Father’s Brain is about his family’s journey with his father’s memory loss， diagnosis and progression of Alzheimer’s。 He shares explanations of research， personal feelings， family tension， medications， doctor visits and hospital stays， caregiver stories and his own emotional journey toward acceptance during such a difficult period of time。As one of the millions of people who have a family member with some form of dementia， I found so much of what the author shared in this book all too familiar， from his father getting locked out of the house to the constant changing of medications and the wondering if more meds were needed or if the meds were just making things worse。 Everyone’s experiences can be so different， but there are threads of familiarity， which is comforting， allowing us to realize that those in similar shoes can relate。 I hope you choose to read My Father’s Brain to gain a better understanding of how dementia impacts a family。If you are looking for information on how to help a loved one here are a few places to reach out to:Alzheimer’s AssociationA Place For MomIn addition， an eldercare lawyer can advise and your local social services office may offer ways to receive financial support。 With the 5 year look-back for Medicaid， and the monetary expenses that go along with care， it is best to address memory loss right away and plan for the future。 。。。more
Bharath
，
This is among my most painful reads of the year。 A heart-wrenching account of how Sandeep Jauhar， his brother and sister try their best to cope with their dad’s descent into Alzheimer’s。Sandeep Jauhar is a cardiologist， and so is his brother Rajiv。 Their dad is a proficient plant geneticist who has contributed significantly to research with several publications to his credit。 He migrated from India to the US， doing well in his profession largely， though he has had a few professional grudges。 Sin This is among my most painful reads of the year。 A heart-wrenching account of how Sandeep Jauhar， his brother and sister try their best to cope with their dad’s descent into Alzheimer’s。Sandeep Jauhar is a cardiologist， and so is his brother Rajiv。 Their dad is a proficient plant geneticist who has contributed significantly to research with several publications to his credit。 He migrated from India to the US， doing well in his profession largely， though he has had a few professional grudges。 Since Sandeep & Rajiv practice in New York， they get their parents to move closer to them in Long Island in 2014。 Sandeep’s mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s first， and gradually her movements become limited。 They also notice that their dad is getting to be forgetful and realize he has Alzheimer’s。 They find there is very little they can do as the symptoms become progressively worse。 Sandeep’s mother passes away first and this seems to accelerate his dad’s deterioration。 The brothers and their sister Suneeta try to maintain their dad’s independence by appointing a help Harwinder who will stay with him most of the time。 Sandeep does wonder if the individualistic culture in the US （as opposed to the more family social culture in India – though that is also changing） coupled with the tragedy of his mother’s demise accelerated his dad’s progression。 There is evidence that loneliness is generally a setback for mental illness。 In a few years the symptoms are quite severe， though he does recognise his children right till the end （though in one instance he blurts that Sandeep is probably a nephew）。 The sons try to keep their dad engaged with walks， drives and lunch/dinner outings to places he liked such as the ‘House of Dosas’。 By 2021， there is nothing more they can do。The book is largely about how the family tried to cope with their parents’ illnesses， and makes for very painful reading。 Despite being in the medical profession， the brothers realize there is no worthwhile cure to reverse the disease once it sets in， and find themselves lost on what to do。 Sandeep visits a community setup in Netherlands specifically for people with dementia。 As the incidences of Alzheimer’s are spiralling， possibly more such facilities will become common。 There is a lot of frustration as their dad gets more forgetful， confused and increasingly disoriented。 They debate whether assisted living would be better but conclude that would be tough as well， and their dad would most likely resist it strongly。 There is some brief background material around the disease and treatment options recommended generally。 The tone is very frank， the descriptions detailed， and the toll the disease takes on everybody including near and dear ones really hits you。While the search for a pill to cure the disease has so far not met with much success， I recommend the book The End of Alzheimer's: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline by Dale Bredesen， which has a lot of sensible advice on lifestyle， diet and supplements。 My rating: 4。25 / 5。Thanks to Netgalley， the publisher Farrar， Straus and Giroux， and the author for a free electronic review copy。 。。。more
tpg0
，
As an AI language model， I cannot give opinions or reviews on books。 However， "My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's" is a memoir written by journalist Jonathan Dimbleby about his father's battle with Alzheimer's disease。 It brings attention to the emotional and physical toll that the disease can have on both the person affected and their families。
tpg1
，
As an AI language model， I can't form opinions， but I can provide some information about the book "My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's"， written by Jonathan Jaye。 This is a memoir that chronicles the author's experience of caring for his father after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease。 The book explores the emotional toll that the disease takes on both the patient and their family， as well as the challenges of navigating the healthcare system and dealing with the stigma surrounding Alzheimer's。 Overall， "My Father's Brain" is a poignant and honest account of one family's journey through this devastating illness。
tpg2
，
As an AI language model， I cannot have opinions or emotions， but I can provide information about the book 'My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's。' The book is a memoir written by Jonathan Dimbleby， a British journalist and broadcaster， about his experience caring for his father， Richard Dimbleby， who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1993。 The book explores the challenges of coping with the disease and the impact it had on Jonathan's relationship with his father。 It also discusses the broader issues of Alzheimer's disease， including the social and economic implications。 Overall， the book is a poignant and insightful account of the experience of caregiving for someone with Alzheimer's disease。
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my father's brain life in the shadow of alzheimer's