Her “Talks” Are So-o Important
ProJo Columnist and Long-Time Caregiver Gives Inspiring Talks:
“Many Have Called Theirs ‘A Love Story:‘ “
Colleen Kelly Mellor was sole Caregiver to her husband, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s for 13+ years, but when she knew she could no longer do his 24/7 care, she sought out a residential place for him with which he–and she–could feel comfortable. In the last 18 months, Paul Wesley Gates has been a resident of the Rhode Island Veterans’ Home, a residential facility about which Colleen can’t say enough positive.
In her new book, Az and Me: A Partner’s Journey with Alzheimer’s, published in June of 2024, she shares what she learned throughout those years and goes about Rhode Island (and other states) offering tips and suggestions to Caregivers as to how they can survive and even thrive when dealing with this disease in a loved one. Her advice is valid for any Caregiver—anywhere.
She likens her book to “a box of chocolates,” where each 1-2 page chapter is a morsel of advice to make life as a Caregiver easier. She purposely kept her lessons short (and some are humorous, indeed) in the awareness that Caregivers haven’t the time or inclination to read lengthy narratives. She includes her poetry, as well, and in the words of former head of Neurology at Miriam Hospital, Dr. Norman Gordon: (Mellor’s book)…offers a wealth of information for Caregivers, while the mixture of prose and poetry is refreshing.” Dr. Gordon is one of three Rhode Island Top Docs who appear in the book and who praise it.
Throughout her book, Mellor weaves together anecdotes of life with the cognitively impaired…inspirational events…”lessons” learned (such as how to know if a lawyer is really accredited in “senior issues;” why you need to get financial advice as soon as possible; why dress your partner in shout-out colors…why give them fake purses or faux wallets…how you check to see if your mate qualifies for Veteran benefits.”)
The author’s humor comes through in her book and in presentations and because Colleen enjoys large crowds, she urges attendees to bring friends to her events, because no one knows when they’re going to take on the role of Caregiver. (Pls register with the library if you can; it’s “No cost.”). Signed copies of her new book will be available at her talks.
- Colleen is former feature story writer and monthly Op-Ed columnist forthe Providence Journal.
- Mark Patinkin wrote about her Colleen and her husband’s recent marriage on ProJo front pg (May 26, 2024).
- Barbara Morse-Silva interviewed Colleen for a NBC Channel 10 Health segment.
- RI Department of Health (with Cranston Sr. Services and Cranston Central Lib) sponsored Colleen as their main event speaker on Alzheimer’s in Sept, 2024
- Colleen was podcast guest of The Rhode Island Wave. (Pic is above, on left.)
- Colleen was recently featured in East Greenwich News.
- G. Wayne Miller’s “Ocean State Stories” featured Colleen on their January 20, 2025 edition
- Colleen will be featured speaker at:
Coventry Lib Feb 26, 2025, 2:00 PM
Bristol (Rogers Lib.) May 6, 6:00 PM (The Herreshoff Room) ***This date and place reflect recent changes
Charlton (Ma.) Public Lib. Date TBD for their “Dementia Friendly Massachusetts” program.
Colleen will speak in Asheville, NC, in late spring/summer, since she and her husband lived there, half time, for nine years and it’s where the precipitating event in his Alzheimer’s disease occurred and her message is universal.
***Additional speaking venues will be posted as they finalize
Colleen Kelly Mellor, author of 4 books and articles that appeared in the WSJ, Associated Press (AP), World News, is a former feature writer and monthly Op-Ed columnist for the Providence Journal. As a part-time resident of Asheville, NC, her columns appeared in Western North Carolina’s Mountain Xpress. Her new book, Az and Me: A Partner’s Journey with Alzheimer’s, an Amazon Best Seller, focuses on her 13+ years as sole Caregiver to her cognitively impaired husband.
As a special note, Rhode Island Veterans Home is having a Job Fair today, Thursday 1/16/25 and Friday 1/17/25. Visit and experience how wonderful this place is. If your veteran might need placement at some point, know that the monthly fee could be 1/3rd of what you’d pay elsewhere. And more important, it’s beautiful and the staff is wonderful. The residents are always doing something interesting, they’re either going out for luncheons or singing and dance groups come in, leading me to say: “Paul’s got a better social activity calendar than I do!!!”
To order Colleen’s new, Amazon Best Seller book, Az and Me: A Partner’s Journey with Alzheimer’s, click on title when the box opens or copy and paste title into your browser and Thank you.
