The Unexpected Journey

由好萊塢影星布魯斯‧威利妻子Emma Heming Willis親撰，這本深具個人色彩、充滿同理心的指南，幫助照顧者在照顧失智親人時，也能照顧好自己。

「這本書對照顧失智症親人的家庭來說，是一個劃時代的指南。它源自 Emma 的痛苦，而她將這份痛苦轉化為比自身更偉大的使命。我為她感到無比驕傲，也為她撰寫此書所展現的勇氣感到敬佩。這本書將幫助數百萬家庭——像她的、像你的、像我的、像每一個人。它是我們這個時代需要的書。」

——Maria Shriver

當Emma 的丈夫布魯斯‧威利被診斷出額顳葉失智（FTD）當天，他們得到的幫助僅有一本小冊子，並被告知幾個月後再回診。沒有希望，也沒有指引，Emma 走出診所時，恐懼、迷惘與世界崩塌的感覺讓她幾乎無法動彈。

事實上，他們原本的人生故事與未來規劃隨著診斷瞬間破碎。Emma感到孤單，比以往任何時候都更隔絕。她該如何在撫養年幼女兒的同時，照顧失智的丈夫？

在那段暗不見光的時光裡，Emma 只希望有人告訴她：「現在感覺很糟，生活亂成一團，但一切會好起來。這裡有一些建議，可以讓你不只是生存下來，而是能找到生活的節奏與力量。」

The Unexpected Journey正是 Emma 希望在布魯斯診斷當天就能收到的指南：一本幫助你在照顧親人過程中，兼顧自身健康的支持性手冊。書中融入她個人的照顧歷程，並結合全球頂尖失智症、照護與整合醫療專家的研究與見解，提供每位照顧者迫切需要的指導與智慧，包括：

²  診斷不只是標籤，而是起點：它幫助你更理解親人的行為，並以更清晰、同理的方式回應。

²  照顧自己不是可選項，而是必須：這能讓你成為更好的照護者。這不是自私，而是自我保護。

²  你無法選擇踏上失智照護之旅，但可以選擇態度與方法：用不同的視角來看待這段旅程。

²  照顧者也是人：你不可能永遠耐心與無私，情緒衝突是正常的，也沒關係。

最終，The Unexpected Journey教你如何在承擔世界上最困難、最心碎的工作之一時，仍能照顧好自己。因為若你不照顧自己，就無法照顧任何人——尤其是你的失智親人。

對於任何照顧失智症親人，甚至照顧其他疾病的人，The Unexpected Journey提醒你：你並不孤單。正如 Emma 所寫：

「我知道沒有兩段照護旅程是相同的，但我們都被同一條非自願選擇的線連結著。這條路對你、你的親人以及家人都不容易。但我在這裡告訴你：你並不孤單，隨著時間，你會找到自己的立足點，也會找到前行之路。」

"This book is a game changer for caregivers of loved ones with dementia. It comes out of Emma’s pain, which she has turned into a purpose bigger than herself. I couldn’t be prouder of her and the courage it took for her to write this. This book will help millions of families, like hers, like yours, like mine, like everyone’s. It’s a book for our time.” —Maria Shriver

From Emma Heming Willis, wife of Bruce Willis, a deeply personal and richly compassionate supportive guide that helps caregivers care for themselves while they navigate a loved one's dementia.

AN OPEN FIELD PUBLICATION FROM MARIA SHRIVER

The day Emma Heming Willis’ husband, Bruce Willis, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), all they were given was a pamphlet and told to check back in a few months. With no hope or direction, Emma walked out of that doctor’s appointment frozen with fear, confusion and a sense that her world had just fallen apart.

In fact, it had. Bruce and Emma had their story written, their future mapped out. Yet all those dreams crumbled with that diagnosis, and Emma felt alone and more isolated than ever. How would she care for her husband while parenting their young daughters?

At that devastating time, Emma just wanted someone who'd been through it to tell her, “This feels terrible right now. Your life is in shambles. But it’s going to be okay. Here are some things to think about and put in place so you cannot just survive but thrive.”

With The Unexpected Journey, Emma has written the book she wishes she’d been handed on the day of Bruce’s diagnosis: a supportive guide to navigating the complicated, heartbreaking, and transformative experience that is caregiving for your loved one. Weaving her personal journey as a care partner with the latest research and insights from the world’s top dementia, caregiving, and integrative experts she offers the guidance and wisdom caregivers everywhere so desperately need to hear, including:

A diagnosis isn’t just a label, it’s a starting point. It helps you better understand your person’s behavior and respond with more clarity and compassion.
Taking care of yourself is not optional; it's mandatory. It will make you a better care partner. It’s not selfish, it’s self-preserving.
You don’t have a choice about being on the dementia caregiving journey. But you do have a choice in terms of how you approach it and reframe it.
Caregivers are human so you aren’t always going to be patient and selfless. You have challenges and struggle with conflicting emotions and that’s okay.

Ultimately, The Unexpected Journey shows you how to care for yourself while doing one of the hardest, most heartbreaking jobs in the world. Because if you don’t take care of yourself, you are not going to be able to look after anyone else—especially your loved one with dementia.

For anyone caregiving for a loved one with any form of dementia, and even for those caregiving for other conditions, The Unexpected Journey shows that you are not alone. As Emma writes, “I know that no two caregiving journeys are the same, but we are connected by the same unchosen thread. It’s not an easy path for you, your loved one or your family. But I’m here to let you know that you are not alone, and, in time, you will find your footing, and a way forward."