Breakfast Memories: A Dementia Love Story

Breakfast Memories is the story of a daughter’s journey through her mom’s dementia and her discovery of the power of memories stored in the soul. What prompted me to begin writing this book was the discovery of a pile of paper napkins that had been tucked away in a drawer on which my dad had written morning love poems to my mom.  Every morning he placed one next to the breakfast that he had prepared for her. I found these napkins after my dad had died and my mom was in failing health at a local nursing home. The discovery of the napkins (sonnets) and sharing them with my mother was what brought her back from the darkness and despair of dementia.

Kate Hanley

Kate Hanley'sdiscovery of her parent’s unique love language set her on a path she never anticipated—writing a book. Yet these beautiful “paper napkin sonnets,” and the story that surrounds them, were too precious and inspiring not to share, as they offer hope for anyone in the throes of caring for someone with dementia. Kate lives in Old Forge, New York, with her husband and two dogs. Her two grown sons come home as often as possible to enjoy the peace and beauty of the Adirondack Mountains.