Before I Lose My Own Mind

Navigating Life as a Dementia Caregiver

De: Beverly E. Thorn

Narrado por: Robin Siegerman

Both a practical guide and a deeply personal memoir from a psychologist, neuroscientist, and end-of-life doula, Before I Lose My Own Mind helps dementia caregivers find ways to support their loved ones—while centering their own well-being.

When Dr. Beverly E. Thorn became a caregiver for her husband, Walt, she joined a massive army. Worldwide, unpaid dementia caregiving requires the equivalent of forty million full-time workers, and that number will only grow. But navigating dementia caregiving can feel like trying to climb a mountain in the dark—and few resources exist to support caregivers in finding their way.

In Before I Lose My Own Mind, Thorn—a psychologist, neuroscientist, and end-of-life doula—provides an honest vision of caregiving that is tender, openhearted, and genuinely useful. Filled with resources and insights on financial planning, advance care directives, clinical trials, support groups, death with dignity, grief, recovery, and more, this book is a roadmap for all caregivers, whether they're family or friends, spouses or children, professionals or novices. For those coping with the grief, exhaustion, and loneliness of a challenge they never expected, help is out there. Surviving dementia caregiving is a team effort. Consider this book a part of your support crew.

©2025 Beverly E. Thorn (P)2025 Tantor Media

wonderful story teller

The author does an amazing job of relating her own story of taking care of a loved one with dementia to anyone who has struggled to cope with someone with the disease. Her personal story of ups and down, insights and new begginings really speak to who we are as human beings and our struggles with our own feelings of doing the "right thing". I also love that she includes so many refernces to different organizations people can reach out to for help!

Helpful Love Story

Dealing up close and personal with a long-term fatal illness is not in most of our wheelhouses, yet everyone will probably need to face this fact of life at some point. Dr. Thorn has been brave enough to provide a wonderfully useful resource for us as we face the end of life of a loved one as she relates the story of her husband's journey through Alzheimer's. We hear their story from the beginning through the middle and to the end. The book is beautifully narrated to keep the reader's attention as though the book is fiction. She also provides many resources for the patient, sources of help for the caregiver, explanations of terms, and suggests legal issues that should be handled in these situations. Having gone through similar challenges with my parents, I can say she is spot on with identifying problems, feelings, doubts, grief and healing. The book helps us to realize that we are doing/will be doing the very best we can, but help with information and support can make it easier to get through it all. We are not alone.