title: Jean--an illness story: the quest to address the advance of chaos.
abstract: In Arthur Frank's book The Wounded Storyteller, the illness story is brought to life, highlighting the disruption in the life course that serious illness brings. Frank shows that a narrative can aid suffers by giving a voice to those silenced within the health system. In this article, one sufferer marginalized within the health care system is offered a voice, and writing the illness story is explored as a healing process for the author, whose mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease some 30 years ago. Elements of Frank's theoretical processes ofa "chaos story" and a "quest story" are combined in the author's attempt to gain closure with the health and political systems. The author highlights the absence of a meaningful social work intervention, makes recommendations from an anti-oppressive perspective, and offers a discussion of social work interventions that have developed over time. Further, the author advocates for adaptation in a system ill prepared for the possible future onslaught of dementia cases and details how the illness-story narrative can be used as a therapeutic tool for caregivers.
authors: Brian Arthur
authors: BA
authors: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012947:Social Work