Kiper’s new book blends science and storytelling to illuminate the complex relationship between the mind of someone with dementia and the mind of the person caring for them.

In-person registration for this event has sold out. A limited number of standby tickets will be available on the night of the event.

Why is taking care of a family member with dementia so difficult? Why do caregivers succumb to behaviors—arguing, blaming, insisting, taking symptoms personally—they know are counterproductive? After working as a live-in caregiver for a person suffering from Alzheimer’s and spending a subsequent decade counseling caregivers, Dasha Kiper has landed on an entirely new way to understand the symbiotic relationship between patients and those tending to them. By recounting stories of existential dilemmas created by this disease, her book is the first to examine how the workings of the “healthy” brain prevent us from adapting to and truly understanding the cognitively impaired one.

In conversation with actor David Hyde Pierce, Kiper explains the neurological obstacles to caregiving, and offers solace and perspective on the terrible pressures that dementia exerts on our closest relationships.

To join the event in-person | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

To join the livestream | A livestream of this event will be available on this NYPL event page. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register! If you encounter any issues, please join us on NYPL's YouTube channel.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Dasha Kiper is the former consulting clinical director of support groups at CaringKind (formerly the Alzheimer’s Association) and holds an MA in clinical psychology from Columbia University. She works with dementia patients and caregivers.

David Hyde Pierce is an Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor, director, and advocate. Having seen firsthand the effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia in his own family, he began working with the Alzheimer’s Association in 1994 and went on to serve as a board member and champion of the Association nationally and as an advocate and spokesperson for CaringKind here in NYC. Pierce has regularly participated in the Alzheimer's Action Summit in Washington, D.C., meeting with elected officials and testifying before Congress to raise funding for Alzheimer’s research. He was honored to represent caregivers on the first advisory council of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, and to be the 2010 recipient of the Tony Awards® Isabelle Stevenson Award, recognizing an individual from the theater community who "has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organization..." Along with his appearances on and off Broadway and in films, he is best known for his 11 years on the iconic sitcom, Frasier, and will next be seen in season two of the HBO Max series, Julia, expected to premiere this coming fall.

READ THE BOOK: 

• Borrow: NYPL Catalog
• E-Book app: SimplyE, available on iOS and Android
• Purchase: The Library Shop — proceeds benefit The New York Public Library

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ACCESSIBILITY NOTES

In-Person

• Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue.
• You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.
• This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

Livestream

• Captions and a transcript will be provided.
• Media used over the course of the conversation will be accompanied by alt text and/or audio description.
• You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

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