Requiem for the status quo

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Pub Date 27 Jul 2017 | Archive Date 21 Feb 2019

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Description

Family caregivers are oftentimes ruthlessly challenged by uninvolved family members who are quick to condemn, but reticent to offer assistance. Such is the case for Colleen Strand, a widow who recently found her own footing who takes on the task of caring for her father, Patrick Quinn, recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Her older brother, Jonathan, criticizes Colleen at every turn and verbally abuses the father when he has the gall to exhibit symptoms of his disease. In short, Jonathan travels down the road of denial, leaving Colleen to deal with all matters regarding their father’s care.

Connected tenuously to a father who barely remembers her and a brother who has become an enigma, Colleen faces the moving target that is Alzheimer’s disease, determined to clothe her father with the dignity he deserves, while capturing the far too fleeting moments of time with him.

Family caregivers are oftentimes ruthlessly challenged by uninvolved family members who are quick to condemn, but reticent to offer assistance. Such is the case for Colleen Strand, a widow who...


Advance Praise

Jill W.: I've never written a review when I'm only half way through a book, but I wanted the author to know sooner rather than later, how much her book has affected me emotionally. My family has been dealt the dreaded card of dementia so reading REQUIEM FOR THE STATUS QUO has been difficult, since we're living Coleen and Patrick's nightmare now. I find myself only able to read pieces at a time because the author has done a superb job of making Patrick and his family's battle with this horrible disease, so real. Last night as I read, I found myself laughing and then crying. This book is a must read for anyone touched by Alzheimer's or dementia.

Bruce A. Milnor: This is such a beautiful, heartfelt, and touching book and story. The author shares so clearly and bravely the trials of dealing with all of the decisions that have to be made in every stage of dementia or Alzheimer's for each phase your loved one is going through. The unknowns of what your loved one is going through is heartbreaking to watch, but she shows that love can trump these unknowns with laughter, humor and the help of family and friends. No one expects this disease to touch their families, but it does inflict itself onto her father. The love that she shares with her dad, her sister, and eventually her brother who has been in denial shows us that the needs of someone with Alzheimer's disease can be met with dignity and care. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has dealt with this disease, for anyone who is dealing with it right now, or for anyone who might have to deal with it in the future.

Lisa M. Beilstein: Irene Frances Olson has written a fictional account of a family's struggle with Alzheimer's - an account that could not be more true for families facing the disease. The love, tension, confusion, terror and ultimate lesson of how life must go on springs from the pages of this beautifully written account. We come to understand each of Patrick, Colleen and Jonathon's demons and how they ultimately overcome. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us Irene.

Rubies: My mother recently died from Alzheimer's, and I could really relate to everything she wrote about. All her information is very accurate, and I felt like she was on the journey with me.

Bruce Logan: It is a distinct honor to be the first to rate this outstanding, but heartbreaking, tale of a devastating and progressive health condition, and how deeply it touches those it enfolds. The author, who has closely experienced the cruelty of Alzheimers in a loved one, has shown a great deal of courage and consummate determination in writing it. This well-paced and brilliantly written story is at once poignant, agonizing, funny in places and all-consuming. The reader will have difficulty putting it down but had best keep a box of tissues at hand. It made this hardened, former combat soldier weep like a schoolchild through much of the second half. But I feel I have emerged from this novel with greater sensitivity to the whole continuum of dementia and its emotional impact on those who must find a way of dealing with its encroachment on their lives. There are not enough superlatives in the English language to give justice to a description of this debut novel by an obviously compassionate, energetic and witty author. It is worthy of six stars.

Gareth Tucker: I see this book as a valuable resource for those who are not able to easily digest the more scientific type of information that would be provided on Alzheimer's by medical professionals. This warm, relatable story gives a human side to the disease and while fictional, is an accurate portrayal of family life when a loved one is affected and could really help prepare and educate those who are looking for help and support. Even if you do not know anyone touched by Alzheimer's it is still a great read.

Ilya: Requiem for the Status Quo is a compelling novel with believable characters, fluid story, and intelligent writing. Some of the passages are sad, others are funny, still others quite poignant, and all too human. I particularly enjoyed Colleen's ability to make the right choices based on her moral compass and her unwavering devotion to her father. Requiem is a book you want to tell your family and friends about.

Jill W.: I've never written a review when I'm only half way through a book, but I wanted the author to know sooner rather than later, how much her book has affected me emotionally. My family has been...


Available Editions

ISBN 9781612968988
PRICE US$4.99 (USD)

Average rating from 2 members


Featured Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley for a free reader's copy of this title, in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a heartfelt tribute both to those afflicted with dementia, and those caring for them. I liked the very personal and vulnerable way the main caregiver told her story, and it gave me valuable insight into ways to cope with this illness in my extended family. Not all of the book is as successful, for example some of the brief passages where another character interjects with their thoughts are confusing, and specifically the brother of the main character is not very well drawn. Nevertheless, I warmly recommend this book, as it reads true to life, and helps the reader gain understanding of an illness that is becoming more and more widespread.

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Requiem for the status quo by Irene Francis Olson is a very good novel about a family and their journey as their elderly father becomes increasingly forgetful and is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The many trials and tribulations are presented in such a way that in many parts of the story the novel feels like non-fiction. The information presented about denial, support groups, financial strains, and housing challenges related to Alzheimer’s are all dealt with by this family. Unfortunately my mother died of Alzheimer’s several years ago and I would have really appreciated a novel like this as my family was struggling with the immense challenges of this disease. What I found exceptional about this novel was that in the context of all the information presented there is also a story of friendship, love, and dedication. I would recommend this novel to all. If you are not directly affected by Alzheimer’s you must certainly will have a friend or colleague whose family will be affected. I would like to thank the author, Black Rose Writing and netgalley for allowing me to read Requiem for the status quo in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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