Parenting My Father

About the Book

Parenting My Father:  A Journey with Dementia lovingly depicts the profound effect of a father’s severe memory loss on the daughter who helped care for him.  Told with sensitivity and humor, the author shares intimate details of this journey, starting with the early warning signs that were more serious than age-related forgetfulness.  During Mil Hallenbeck’s slow mental and physical retreat from life, his daughter discovers papers in his attic that gave insight into his ancestry and exceptional writing ability.  These personal reminiscences plus medical information on Alzheimer’s disease provided by grandson David make this book not only interesting but helpful for any family affected by dementia.

About the Author

Claire Virginia McCulloch, known as Ginger to family and friends, is a wife of 37 years to John, mother of two grown children (John and Kristen) and home care nursing supervisor.  This is her first book, written after experiencing firsthand the devastating effect her father's serious memory problems had on the entire family.  Educated at Green Mountain College in Vermont, Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing, and the College of Saint Elizabeth, she has lived in New Jersey her entire life and plans on retiring to the Jersey shore.  She has been active in her church, the United Methodist Church in Morristown, and especially enjoys singing in the choir.  She hopes that her book will help others dealing with Alzheimer's disease. Her nephew Dr. David Roesel, a Stanford University educated physician in Seattle, Washington, with experience running an emergency department and clinic, added to the value of her book with his notes on Alzheimer's disease and resources.