Luke Gentile
For two and a half years, Jim Alf wrote a monthly essay regarding his experience becoming a caretaker for his wife. He did this at the request of his friend, Lisa Wells, who works as a Dementia Care Specialist for the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Eau Claire County and published the essays in the ADRC newsletter. After retiring from the column, Mr. Alf compiled all 26 of his essays into a single book, The Caretaker’s Corner, which was published by his friend Dennis Miller. The book is currently available at The Local Store. I had the privilege to meet with Mr. Alf to talk about his newest book.
The essays in The Caretaker’s Corner are diverse in message and execution. Mr. Alf covers a wide variety of topics in his essays, from little-known information on caretaking strategies to obtaining legal and medical advice. He conveys his messages by writing about his personal experiences and the experiences of others in similar positions and relaying advice he has learned from professionals along the way.
Mr. Alf is not alone in his caretaking. One in nine people ages 65 and older live with Alzheimer's. In 2020, Mr. Alf became unable to take full care of his wife, so, he admitted her into a memory care facility. He struggled with this decision, but was determined to make the right choice for his wife to ensure she got the care she needed.Through the newsletter essays, Mr. Alf passed his experiences long to others who were caregiving.
““What I want people to take away is not only the basic functions of caretaking but to recognize it early on. And to learn when the person they are caring for should go to a facility.” ”
“What I want people to take away is not only the basic functions of caretaking but to recognize it early on,” Mr. Alf explains. “And to learn when the person they are caring for should go to a facility.”
Each essay offers a variety of lessons and strategies; however, there were two lessons Mr. Alf highlighted during our conversation. One of which is already in the book, and the other will be added in the second edition of The Caretaker’s Corner which will be released within a week or so. The first lesson is to ensure you don’t do this alone and the second is to have a crisis plan, which is someone you can rely on to perform the task of caretaking when you cannot. The two go hand and hand with each. Throughout Mr. Alf's time as a caretaker, he had a whole group of people whom he could ask for help, including neighbors, family, friends, and caretakers from organizations such as Visiting Angels.
“New caretakers seldom think about that,” Mr. Alf explains. “I wrote one essay, where I tell what happened when I had to be hospitalized and family and friends and everybody else, all of a sudden, had to become caretakers for my wife and had to find a place for her to go for a week. So that crisis plan is extremely important and will be found in the next copy.”
The Caretaker’s Corner is a rich and advice-filled book that will help any new caretaker on their journey. These essays cement Mr. Alf’s message that anyone can become a caretaker, and all they need is a little help from friends, family, and The Caretakers Corner.