Caring for a parent whose health is in decline turns the world upside down. The emotional fallout can be devastating, but it doesn't have to be that way. Empathic guidance from an expert who's been there can help. Through an account of two sisters and their ailing mother--interwoven with no-nonsense advice--The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers helps family members navigate tough decisions and make the most of their time together as they care for an aging parent. The author urges readers to be honest about the level of commitment they're able to make and emphasizes the need for clear communication within the family. While acknowledging their guilt, stress, and fatigue, he helps caregivers reaffirm emotional connections worn thin by the routine of daily care. This compassionate book will help families everywhere avoid burnout and preserve bonds during one of life's most difficult passages.

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.

"Nurses play a vital role in improving the safety and quality of patient car -- not only in the hospital or ambulatory treatment facility, but also of community-based care and the care performed by family members. Nurses need know what proven techniques and interventions they can use to enhance patient outcomes. To address this need, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), with additional funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has prepared this comprehensive, 1,400-page, handbook for nurses on patient safety and quality -- Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. (AHRQ Publication No. 08-0043)." - online AHRQ blurb, http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/

You, the caregiver, finds yourself in a situation that threatens to overwhelm you with a welter of conflicting emotions and to undermine your ability to come. You feel that way sometimes.

Research-based advice for people who care for someone with dementia Nearly half of U.S. citizens over the age of 85 are suffering from some kind of dementia and require care. Loving Someone Who Has Dementia is a new kind of caregiving book. It's not about the usual techniques, but about how to manage on-going stress and grief. The book is for caregivers, family members, friends, neighbors as well as educators and professionals—anyone touched by the epidemic of dementia. Dr. Boss helps caregivers find hope in "ambiguous loss"—having a loved one both here and not here, physically present but psychologically absent. Outlines seven guidelines to stay resilient while caring for someone who has dementia Discusses the meaning of relationships with individuals who are cognitively impaired and no longer as they used to be Offers approaches to understand and cope with the emotional strain of care-giving Boss's book builds on research and clinical experience, yet the material is presented as a conversation. She shows you a way to embrace rather than resist the ambiguity in your relationship with someone who has dementia.

Why is this book important to read? Beyond Caregiving contains a plethora of information that the reader will find very useful in coping with the challenges of providing care. In a nutshell, the book is about the deeper understanding of the role of a caregiver, learning creative ways to secure much need resources and services, maneuvering through the complex health care system, and most of all learning to enjoy and see the positivity in everything we do despite what life may bring to our fruitful undertaking. As an educator and advocate for the disabled and the developmentally challenged for 14 years; and as a Social Services Director at several skilled nursing facilities for 5-years, Romwell witnessed most of the challenges that caregivers' and their families face up in dealing with the task. His goal in writing the book is to help alleviate caregiver stress in navigating through the difficult emotional, psychological, and financial challenges of caregiving. The book shall serve as a caregiver's guide in maneuvering through the complex healthcare delivery system and present creative ideas in procuring much-needed support from private entities, state and federally funded programs, and services available in the community. The book also illustrates steps, and possible solutions in the appeals process that a caregiver may apply in the event of an unjust or unfair denial of rights of a developmentally challenged adult or a child. The goal is to mitigate the out-of-pocket costs of an already financially burdened population. Beyond Caregiving likewise presents real-life cases and situations experienced by actual patients that benefitted from the author's services during his career as a social worker-case manager. In reading the book, the reader will understand why it is difficult to provide care to different people, particularly patients with unique developmental challenges. The reader will also discover the correlation between aggressive behavior and medical disability, which explains why people act the way they do, sometimes even without reason. And last but not the least, the book provides useful resources for the reader and their families in dealing with the difficult challenges of providing continuum of care brought by the lack of availability of community resources, and the defective post-hospitalization services.

This book is enhanced with content such as audio or video, resulting in a large file that may take longer to download than expected. With 15 videos and text focused on strategies one needs to bear the responsibility of caring for someone close to them, the enhanced e-book of Passages In Caregiving takes you by the hand and shows you that you will get through this — and you will do the right things. With empathy and intelligence, backed by formidable research, and interspersed with poignant stories of her experience and that of successful care givers, Passages in Caregiving examines the arc of caregiving from the very first signs of trouble — providing invaluable advice and guidance to help turn a stressful, life-altering situation into a journey that can be safely navigated and from which everyone can benefit.

How does caregiving affect health and well-being and what resources help caregivers? This book provides a synthesis of psychological research on caregiver stress and brings attention to the personal, social and structural factors that affect caregivers' well-being and as well as recent behavioral interventions to enhance health.

COPING WITH CARING is written for the caregiver who cares for a loved one with Alzheimer's or a related disorder. Each page provides an inspiring daily reflection, followed by a related caregiving tip. Designed for daily use, this unique volume will serve to give you emotional support and insights to help strengthen you during the caregiving journey.

In My Two Elaines, author Marty Schreiber, former governor of Wisconsin, watches his beloved wife, Elaine, gradually transform from the woman he fell in love with in high school, and who diligently supported his political career, to the Elaine who knows she is declining and can’t remember how to cook a meal, and finally to the Elaine who no longer recognizes Marty or their children. One part love story, one part practical advice, this compelling book includes several unique elements: Excerpts from Elaine’s journal, recounting her thoughts, concerns, and frustrations as the disease progresses A recurring feature called “What I Wish I’d Known,” which provides helpful takeaways for caregivers based on Marty’s observations about what he wishes he’d known sooner and done differently A Q&A between Marty and neuropsychologist Dr. Michelle Braun, to equip caregivers with the right questions to ask and empower them to advocate for their loved ones and their own needs Beyond sincere, practical advice, My Two Elaines gives the reader permission to feel the full spectrum of emotions, including humor, even in the face of this relentless illness. And the book speaks to anyone touched by this disease--spouse, child, friend, or family member.