This book is for caregivers who have a desire not only to hone their caring skills, but also to deepen their relationship with God through their care. It explores feelings of loss and challenge, but turns always towards potential and hope.

THESE ARE THE FACTS: There are over 100 types of dementia affecting over 50 million people around the world. But if you’re picking up this book, you probably already know that. Unfortunately, knowing the hard numbers doesn’t make caregiving less demanding, challenging, exhausting, and, yes, many times and in many ways, potentially uplifting. Caregiving is typically understood as an activity, as something we do – likely because caregivers do a lot. But caregiving is deeper than what we do. It is more than a series of tasks. It is, first and foremost, a call to love.

In How the Light Shines, each chapter engages an issue raised by caregivers themselves and is filled with real-life stories that convey the realities of caregiving, as well as tips and advice, and spiritual insight and guidance. It is written with both individuals and groups in mind. Each chapter includes questions and, for personal or group reflection, a spiritual practice and a prayer grounded in the pain and possibilities of it all.

Trisha Elliott has supported caregivers of people with dementia for over 20 years as an ordained minister. She was honoured to receive the Queens Theological College alumni achievement award for ministry excellence. As a writer, cultural creative, and artist, Trisha has won numerous national and international awards for features in a variety of genres. She has contributed to a handful of books and was a guest religion commentator at the National Arts Centre. Trisha lives in Ottawa, Canada, where she has only moderate success coaxing her two teenage sons to explore forests and largely fails to convince them to eat anything she has foraged. Visit her online at trishaelliott.com.