Heather Menzies is available for speaking engagements on the themes of Enter Mourning: A Memoir on Death, Dementia and Coming Home as well as those of previous books.
For information about booking Heather.
Speech to the British Columbia Nurses’ Union 2011 Annual General Meeting on May 4, 2011. Read speech.
Testimonial:
“The entire audience at the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County’s seminar “STOP The Rising Tide of Dementia” listened intently to Heather Menzies as she spoke about the social impact of dementia. The power of her presentation was drawn from her own personal perspective as a daughter whose mother had Alzheimer’s disease. She was brave in sharing the feelings of denial, resentment, and guilt that she had as barriers to action before facing the reality of what was happening to her mother so she could really be there for her mother. Heather was inspirational in encouraging families and those who work in dementia care to take action now in order to slow down and stop the crippling effect of Alzheimer’s disease on families. Boomer-aged children, the bulk of the caregivers already providing care to aging parents with Alzheimer’s disease, looks to be the ones to provide even more of the care as the demand for publicly funded services far outstrips the supply.”
Kathy Wright, Executive Director, Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County
Heather Menzies at the End of Life Care of the Older Adult with Dementia event
Heather Menzies spoke at the 2nd annual End of Life Care of the Older Adult with Dementia even on May 6, 2010. The response was positive: 85% of attendees evaluated her speech as good to excellent. Comments included:
“My favourite talk; greatly appreciate the sharing of Heather’s personal journey. Very powerful.”
“Great spiritual speaker and great insight to view as of care to end of life scenaries.”
“She really was excellent.”
“A wonderful first hand look at dying gracefully.”
“Good to have personal experiences about taking care of someone with dementia and how the health care staff could improve and how families can help.”
“Personal story very powerful.”
“Thank you for sharing.”
Reader Responses
“You’ve written a wonderful, generous book that dares to be intimate and broad all at the same time.”
– Penny Cabrain, CBC Radio Producer
“I must tell you how moved I was by your absolutely magnificent book: “Enter Mourning”. I re-lived … the struggle, the difficulties, of watching my mother’s health slowly erode way from Parkinson’s. Your descriptions were heart-rending, honest, beautifully-expressed. I also very much “enjoyed” the inter-relationship with your siblings. (I have 4 brothers)… I will buy this book for a friend, and keep it as a very special read.”
– Antoinette Taddeo, Montreal, Quebec
“I recently heard that “we read to know we are not alone” and that’s a bit how I felt when I read your book.”
– Marie Lizotte, Ottawa, Ontario
“I have just closed the back cover and I feel a deep pull to reach out to you tonight… Until I read your book, I didn’t know someone could understand all the feelings I felt, the experiences I had and the depth of the connection I had with my Mom while she went from living to dying.”
– Pierrette Raymond, Ottawa, Ontario
“Thank you for the book! It was/is wonderful and loving and very brave and so important.”
– Suzan Bazilli, Victoria, B.C.
“I had meant to write you much earlier to say how I enjoyed your beautiful book about your journey through the effects of Alzheimer’s with your mother.”
– Barbara Rossall-Wynne, Australia