Traveling Our Road

By Dylan Weiss

How do you help a child visit a loved one living with dementia?

Written by Gail Neustadt (pen name Dylan Weiss), a geriatric speech-language pathologist, licensed nursing home administrator, and former family caregiver, Traveling Our Road began as a simple picture book for the author's then two-and-a-half-year-old grandson. It was created to reduce the fear and anxiety children may experience when visiting a grandparent or other loved one living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia.

Through the story of Dylan and her best friend, DJ, young children learn that although memory and communication may change, love and connection can remain. The book introduces the idea of bringing one's own "magic" to a visit through shared experiences, imagination, patience, and compassion, helping children find meaningful ways to connect with a loved one whose abilities have changed.

Beautifully illustrated by Abigail Walouke, Traveling Our Road is a valuable resource for families, educators, healthcare professionals, faith communities, and dementia-care programs. It also stimulates discussion among adult caregivers and support groups about communication, caregiving, loss, resilience, and hope.

A heartfelt story for readers of all ages, Traveling Our Road reminds us that dementia may change a person's abilities, but it does not erase the life they have lived or the love they continue to share. It leaves readers with a simple truth: love remains.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1943267898
• ISBN13: 9781943267897
• Release Date: March 2022
• Publisher: Red Engine Press
• Length: 44 Pages
• Weight: 0.97 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 11.0" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 3 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 5