While other professionals were recording cognitive losses, I was discovering a gold mine of spirituality still intact in persons with Alzheimer's disease. I began to speak in public arenas about my experiences as a chaplain on the Special Care Alzheimer's unit where I found myself singing a theme song to match what I was witnessing every day. It went like this: "Though cognition is lost, spirituality remains. Whatever lives in your heart of hearts, your soul of souls, never goes away. Alzheimer's may steal your brain cells but it can't steal your soul. Who you are and what you beleive never leaves." I had finally found the wisdom I had been seeking to match my charismatic voice.

Five years ago I arrived at The Special Care Alzheimer's Unit with my prejudices and my ignorance about the aging population. In the Hebrew Bible the word "ruah" means spirit, wind, and breath. It was the "ruah" of the Special Care Alzheimer's Unit that tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to dance with the residents that lived and died there. This is the record of my sacred time in and with the spirit, wind, and breath of an Alzheimer's unit in Atlanta from August 1997 to August 1999.

Where do you live? ...What did you do today... What do you need?

Daunting questions? Unfortunately for some, answers to such basic inquiries as these can sometimes lie just beyond easy reach. Welcome to My Silver Diary, a refreshingly simple and easy to use daily activity journal and personal contact manager developed especially for residents of nursing homes, personal care homes, and assisted living centers.

More than a daily diary and address book, My Silver Diary consists of simple page layouts designed to serve as memory aids by storing the kind of information considered so essential to the comfort, safety, and peace of mind of care facility residents and their families. It organizes vital data regarding family members, friends, and professional contacts; diet, allergies and medication; and personal preferences and interests all in a single bound volume.

My Silver Diary includes guides for chronicling daily experiences and prompts the writer to record brief notes about the weather, events in the news, and activities and thoughts for each day. These categories have been strategically selected to help bring special interest, meaning, and continuity to the passage of time and to highlight such important aspects of functioning as orientation, memory and communication.

Although My Silver Diary was originally designed for use in residential care facilities, its application need not be limited exclusively to these settings. Its large print and simple format may appeal to anyone wanting quick and easy access to their most important contacts and daily ponderings without having to turn on a computer.

My Silver Diary accommodates one full year of daily journal entries. It is spiral bound so it lays flat on your lap or table, and you can view a single week at a time. Notice that actual dates have not been printed so you can begin using your diary the day you receive it and make your entries as often as you like. It could be the perfect gift for yourself or for your friend or loved one living in a residential care setting. It will be used and treasured in many ways every single day of the year and beyond.

While other professionals were recording cognitive losses, I was discovering a gold mine of spirituality still intact in persons with Alzheimer's disease. I began to speak in public arenas about my experiences as a chaplain on the Special Care Alzheimer's unit where I found myself singing a theme song to match what I was witnessing every day. It went like this: "Though cognition is lost, spirituality remains. Whatever lives in your heart of hearts, your soul of souls, never goes away. Alzheimer's may steal your brain cells but it can't steal your soul. Who you are and what you beleive never leaves." I had finally found the wisdom I had been seeking to match my charismatic voice.

Five years ago I arrived at The Special Care Alzheimer's Unit with my prejudices and my ignorance about the aging population. In the Hebrew Bible the word "ruah" means spirit, wind, and breath. It was the "ruah" of the Special Care Alzheimer's Unit that tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to dance with the residents that lived and died there. This is the record of my sacred time in and with the spirit, wind, and breath of an Alzheimer's unit in Atlanta from August 1997 to August 1999.