From that moment in 1998, Strauss, an adjunct professor of English, an award-winning communications consultant and coach to adults with learning disabilities, visited the woman regularly. It’s those visits that led her to write the self-help book Talking to Alzheimer’s: Simple Ways to Connect When You Visit with a Family Member or Friend, published in January 2002.

"All of my life I have spent time on a volunteer basis working with people with challenges," she says. "Even as a child, my teacher asked me to help another child and I did."

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, and the most common form of dementia. Approximately four million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, and it is estimated that 14 million Americans will be afflicted with the disease by the middle of this century (2050) unless a cure is found.

It’s also a disease, Strauss notes, that has a significant impact on the family, friends and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s.

During Strauss’s visits to the assisted care facility, she found the interactions with the residents to be difficult at times. And often, there were situations she wasn’t able to handle, such as when a resident became frustrated, agitated and overly emotional. However, she also discovered that there was no place to go to get answers and advice. "I noticed how few visitors came and how they seemed to be struggling with the same issues," she says. "Some of the interactions were just painful to watch."

When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or loses their cognitive abilities, it’s a shock to the family, says Strauss. "It’s emotionally devastating because people anticipate the losses that haven’t even happened yet." And, as individuals deal with their emotions, there are also many things to figure out like current and future care and financial implications.

Within six months of visiting the facility, Strauss says she knew there was a need for a book aimed at helping caregivers cope with the disease. Most of the books about Alzheimer’s disease deal with the logistics of the disease, the finances and what to do if the person becomes violent. Strauss’s book, she says, is focused on relationships. "I wanted to create a book that was as accessible as possible. Individuals dealing with loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease are unbelievably overwhelmed. Simply picking up a book is a challenge."

As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, patients begin to lose their memory, have problems reasoning, are disoriented, have trouble learning, lose language skills, have difficulty performing routine tasks and often go through behavioral changes.

However, says Strauss, the most important thing to remember is that although the individual may be losing their cognitive abilities, their emotional capacities remain intact. "They may not always be able to process your word content but they can generally pick up on your tone of voice, and they know if you’re enjoying the time you’re spending with them."

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