DMS Staff Member Writes Book on Her Journey as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver

Author and Employee, Laura Hancock

by Patty Massengill  Jan 27, 2020

Laura Hancock, one-to-one paraprofessional at Dinwiddie Middle School (DMS), is all too familiar with the details of Alzheimer’s and the impact that caring for a loved one has on one’s life.  When her father was first diagnosed in 2009 she wasn’t sure what to expect. It was a slow progression but by 2017 she had to quit her receptionist position with Dinwiddie County Public Schools (DCPS) to become a full-time caregiver. It was around this time, while going back to school for her counseling degree, that Laura heard a voice calling her to write a book.

“He’s not giving me a hard time. He’s having a hard time.”

In March 2019 Mrs. Hancock starting writing what she had experienced while caring for her father. It was on this journey that she was able to find joy along the way.  Her father, Raymond Earl Talley, Sr., passed away in June 2019 just one month before she finished writing her book, Navigating the Random Happenings of Alzheimer’s.

Illustrated by DMS art teacher, Jen Lowery

“He’s not giving me a hard time. He’s having a hard time,” Laura tells me.  She continues that it is this ultimate truth that those dealing with someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s needs to remember. It is not easy for those with memory conditions to adjust and they find change hard. She feels that it’s important for caregivers to know that they are not alone, and that they shouldn’t be offended when their loved one doesn’t know them.  She adds, “I want everyone that might be going through this to know what to expect. Read.”

Discover that you are not alone on your journey caring for a loved one. If you are interested in reading Laura’s book, you may pre-order Navigating the Random Happenings of Alzheimer’s from Amazon, Books-a-Million, and Barnes &Noble now before its official release on February 25, 2020.

In addition, come meet the author and get your own autographed copy at Rainbow Parable Christian Book & Gift from 11 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2020.

The DCPS family is very proud of Mrs. Hancock for showing us that all things are possible on your way to life-long learning!