So many older people are caught between a rock and a hard place. Alzheimer's patients segue between clarity and confusion which keeps them from being able to let others know their needs. My father once likened it to "being in Purgatory". Leonie's book is a needed enlightenment for families facing these problems.

Protecting Mama: Surviving the Legal Guardianship Swamp is Léonie Rosenstiel’s jaw-dropping rendition of her fourteen-year battle with her elderly mother’s “commercial guardian.” It was far from a one-on-one struggle, as she also faced an array of lawyers, financial advisors, licensed social workers, nursing assistants and contractors who worked in concert with the guardian… While Protecting Mama: Surviving the Guardianship Swamp is Rosenstiel’s description of the problems she and her mother experienced under New Mexico’s guardianship system, guardianship laws and procedures are now being scrutinized in other states – often because of stories similar to the Rosenstiel’s. Those involved in that review -- and anyone considering a guardianship for an older, disabled loved one -- should read this book.

This book brings the reader inside the experiences of a family as they are put through the guardianship meat grinder. It does so without judgmental language, just bringing us into the author's world, minute by minute. I couldn't put this book down and read it in four hours. We've all heard stories. But most of the stories we hear are told through the lens of hurt, anger, and bitterness. That's the natural thing to do, especially if you aren't a skilled or trained writer. Leonie takes a different stance. She is a "witness" who comes back to tell the tale. Most books on guardianship explain what's wrong with guardianship, but this one? It leads the reader directly through personal experience in a way that truly shines a light into dark corners without starting with a "purpose". Leonie follows leads like a detective, which is why the book was so difficult for me to put down. The end result is unspeakably heart-breaking, yet she rises above it with a wonderful attorney who leads her through court processes, causing the reader to also see into the court system. I won't let the cat out of the bag, but her lawyer becomes a true hero and a friend. There is redemption in this book, and great beauty as well. I hope you read it! It's quite simply--amazing.