Your Name Is Hughes Hannibal Shanks - (Bison Book) by Lela Knox Shanks (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Your Name Is Hughes Hannibal Shanks is Lela Knox Shanks's personal account of caring for her husband, Hughes, in their home after he was stricken with Alzheimer's disease. Lela describes her initial denial, her discovery of coping skills, her eventual acceptance of his illness, and her ultimate recognition that the key to successful caregiving lies in never losing sight of the patient's humanness. The book outlines twenty coping and survival strategies to guide caregivers to untapped inner resources and shows caregiving's intangible rewards of increased self-respect and self-knowledge. Lela Knox Shanks (1927-2011) was an independent scholar and lecturer living in Lincoln, Nebraska. She and Hughes were married for fifty years and have four children. Hughes Hannibal Shanks worked for the federal government for thirty years and was the first African American hired by the Denver Social Security Administration office in the 1950s. This edition includes an epilogue by Lela. Steven H. Zarit is a professor of human development at Pennsylvania State University. He is also the coauthor of The Hidden Victims of Alzheimer's Disease: Families under Stress.

From the Back Cover

Your Name Is Hughes Hannibal Shanks is Lela Knox Shanks's personal account of caregiving for her husband, Hughes, in their home after he was stricken with Alzheimer's disease. Shanks describes her initial denial, her discovery of coping skills, her eventual acceptance of his illness, and her ultimate recognition that the key to successful caregiving lies in never losing sight of the patient's humanness. The book outlines twenty coping and survival strategies to guide caregivers to untapped inner resources and shows caregiving's intangible rewards of increased self-respect and self-knowledge.

Review Quotes

"It is an immensely moving, yet practical, book, particularly for anyone faced with the challenge of caring for a loved one with a terminal illness."--Better Nutrition

"Shanks tells exactly what it is like to live with Alzheimer's, and how to have a life in the process."--Publishers Weekly

"This beautifully crafted book depicts the joys and sorrows of caring for a relative diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Essential for all caregivers looking for a creative approach to helping Alzheimer's patients live their lives fully."--Library Journal

About the Author

Lela Knox Shanks (1927-2011) was an independent scholar and lecturer living in Lincoln, Nebraska. She and Hughes were married for fifty years and have four children. Hughes Hannibal Shanks worked for the federal government for thirty years and was the first African American hired by the Denver Social Security Administration office in the 1950s. This edition includes an epilogue by Lela. Steven H. Zarit is a professor of human development at Pennsylvania State University. He is also the coauthor of The Hidden Victims of Alzheimer's Disease: Families under Stress.