September.16.2017.
The Unravelling in the Calgary Herald
Shelley Boettcher from the Calgary Herald chatted with Clem Martini last week about his new book The Unravelling, a collaboration with his brother Olivier Martini. A brief excerpt:
“While the book is a very personal look at what the brothers faced, it’s also something that many people can relate to: aging parents, mental illness, dementia and dealing with assisted living and the long-term-care system.
“For the Martinis, Irene Catherine Martini had been the rock of the family for decades. The proud mother of four boys, she moved to Canada from Berlin in 1952, settling in what was then the small town of Bowness. She was soon elected as a trustee to the Bowness Public School Board, and then, after Bowness was annexed by the City of Calgary, continued as a trustee until 1980. She was a strong supporter of English as a Second Language programs and French immersion, as well as kindergarten, at a time when few schools offered early-childhood education. “She was a very strong person, a person with a mission,” who spoke several languages and who fiercely supported her children, Clem says.
“Dementia was particularly tough because for so long, she knew her role as the glue that kept everyone together. “She wanted to stay involved, but ultimately, we had to say ‘You can’t anymore. You’re not providing help. You’re needing help,’” Clem says.”
You can read the full article here.