About the Book and Authors

Now Featured in the Patheos Book Club
Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade: The 5 Love Languages and the Alzheimer's Journey
By Deborah Barr, Edward G. Shaw, and Gary Chapman

About the Book

Across America and around the world, the five love languages have revitalized relationships and saved marriages from the brink of disaster. Can they also help individuals, couples, and families cope with the devastating diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD)?

Coauthors Chapman, Shaw, and Barr give a resounding yes. Their innovative application of the five love languages creates an entirely new way to touch the lives of the five million Americans who have Alzheimer's, as well as their fifteen million caregivers. At its heart, this book is about how love gently lifts a corner of dementia's dark curtain to cultivate an emotional connection amid memory loss.

This collaborative, groundbreaking work between a healthcare professional, caregiver, and relationship expert will: Provide an overview of the love languages and Alzheimer's disease, correlate the love languages with the developments of the stages of AD, discuss how both the caregiver and care receiver can apply the love languages, address the challenges and stresses of the caregiver journey, offer personal stories and case studies about maintaining emotional intimacy amidst AD. Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade is heartfelt and easy to apply, providing gentle, focused help for those feeling overwhelmed by the relational toll of Alzheimer's. Its principles have already helped hundreds of families, and it can help yours, too.

Praise for Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade

"Through stories that are moving and unflinching, Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade shows how love can persist even as dementia gradually erodes memory and physical abilities. It offers powerful testimony to the lasting nature and immense power of human relationships."

—Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH, co-author, The 36-Hour Day

"Love lives on during times of loss, and there is profound value and redemption in intentionally expressing both the love and the grief that is part of the Alzheimer's journey. Yes! Be open. Be kind. The world needs more compassionate, love-affirming books like this."

—Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition and author of Healing Your Grieving Heart When Someone You Care About Has Alzheimer's

"Long overdue, this book reminds families that although they don't have to do it all, meaningful connections can make a difference in the quality of family life despite progressive cognitive decline."

—Lisa P. Gwyther, MSW, LCSW, Director, Duke (Alzheimer's) Family Support Program Duke Health

About the Authors

Gary Chapman, PhD, is the author of the best selling The 5 Love Languages® series, which has sold more than 10 million worldwide and has been translated into 50 languages. Dr. Chapman travels the world presenting seminars on marriage, family, and relationships, and his radio programs air on more than 400 stations. He lives in North Carolina with his wife, Karolyn.

Edward G. Shaw, MD, MA, is dually trained as a physician and a mental health counselor. He is the primary care partner for his wife, Rebecca, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease at age 54. He was a practicing radiation oncologist for 23 years. In 2010, inspired by Rebecca's journey, his medical interest shifted to dementia diagnosis and treatment, and with his additional training in mental health counseling, he founded the Memory Counseling Program that is now part of Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His moving personal story of caring for his wife, coupled with his innovative use of the five love languages in dementia counseling, inspired the central message of Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade.

Deborah Barr is a versatile writer, speaker, and health educator. A master certified health education specialist (MCHES), she also has a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in health education and promotion. An experienced wellness writer and speaker, Deborah volunteers as a community educator for the Western Carolina chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Like Drs. Chapman and Shaw, she lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade is her fourth book.