Losing a parent is heart wrenching. As children, we believe our parents will be with us always. Aging teaches us that no one lives forever. Most likely God will call upon us to care for our parents, and when the time comes, bury them. Grown children with aging parents sometimes wonder what is the worst way to lose a parent: quickly, or watching a slow decline?

Lisa Livezey, the author of, Minding Mom, A Caregiver’s Devotional Story, shares her experiences of caring for her mother with love, candor, and humor. The book has fifty-two devotions, one for each week of the year. Livezey cleverly pairs the day-to-day  with a special and sometimes challenging moment with her mom. The devotions begin with a Bible verse, followed by a story of a time she was caring for her mother. Each one ends with a short prayer and a reflective question. These are short, only about two pages, but there is much weight to them. No matter the situation, Livezey reminds us that God is good all the time. 

No one wants to hear that their mother or father has Alzheimer’s. The mental and emotional suffering is agonizing for both patient and caregiver. When Lisa Livezey’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the plan was to keep her at home. At the time, Livezey’s father appeared healthy and willing to care for his ailing wife–that is, until tragedy struck. Her father unexpectedly died. Now all the caregiving duties for her mother fell on Livezey.

The easy path is to place a loved one with Alzheimer’s in a memory care facility. That is not what Lisa’s father wanted for her mother. He loved his wife and wanted to keep her home where it felt safe and familiar to her. Livezey chose to honor her father’s wish and care for her mother at home, despite her already full life. 

Around the clock care for an Alzheimer’s patient is exhausting and can push caregivers to their limits. Often, unexpected challenges arise. It is not uncommon for those with Alzheimer’s to display behavior that is uncharacteristic of their former personalities. This can be both alarming and humorous. With each unexpected event in the day- to- day care of her mother, Livezey continuously turned to God for guidance. 

I highly recommend Minding Mom to all Alzheimer’s or dementia caregivers. Laughter, joy in the small things, and God’s abundant goodness are ever present within the pages of this book. Livezey shows the value of all caregivers whether they put in a lot of time or a little. A few years ago, I lost my mother to cancer and dementia. In those fragile moments, God was ever present, but it took me some time to realize it.  I wish this caregivers devotional book had been available to me. Reading Minding Mom, I found myself thanking God for my role as a minor caregiver.