When Arlene Schollaert, LCSW, the Family Services Director at Amazing Place, led a session at The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration national conference a couple of years ago, she didn’t realize that the wife of actor Bruce Willis was in the audience. Emma Heming Willis visited with Schollaert afterwards and the two conversed openly about her challenges with Bruce’s diagnosis and her role as a dementia caregiver. The two have stayed in touch ever since.

When Willis decided to author a book to help other caregivers navigate a loved one’s dementia, she asked Schollaert to contribute to “The Unexpected Journey,” now a New York Times bestseller. The book is a roadmap for dementia caregivers, told through Willis’ own story of navigating the challenges of her husband’s diagnosis. The pages are filled with the expertise and advice of many dementia experts, including Schollaert.

“This is a remarkable guide for anyone who needs to find strength, hope and understanding as a dementia caregiver,” said Schollaert. “Knowledge is power when it comes to caregiving because it helps reframe your situation so you can become more proactive and prepared. That’s why the advice in this book from Emma and the national dementia experts she enlisted is so helpful.”

Schollaert’s words of wisdom can be found in the book’s section, “Bringing in Help.” An important thread found throughout the book is that you don’t have to take this journey by yourself. Schollaert stresses that building a community and having people in your corner is a key to self-care, finding hope and smart decisions.

Assessing when it’s time to get help is tricky, according to Schollaert, but in “The Unexpected Journey” she points to some questions caregivers should ask themselves. These include “if the person was in the house alone and there was a fire, would they know how to get out?” and “can you get seven to eight hours of sleep a night?” and “have you lost connections with family and friends?”

Schollaert’s contribution to “The Unexpected Journey” reflects the caliber of expertise at Amazing Place. With two locations in Houston— including a new campus in Katy at 621 Circle deMatel to serve the fast-growing west Houston population -- Schollaert and all of the organization’s brain health experts offer unparalleled care, comfort and support.

For information on Amazing Place’s Caregiver Education and Support offerings email Sharon Cantrell, Amazing Place Caregiver Education Director at scantrell@amazingplacehouston.org. For information on the Day Program at Amazing Place West, email Carol Cooper, Amazing Place West Day Program Director Amazing Place West at ccooper@amazingplacehouston.org.