A Caregivers Guide

The author has not only studied aging, but has managed assisted living communities, as well as experienced the caregiving role for family members. Her academic background and professional experience coupled with her personal experience in caregiving make this book valuable for both professional caregivers and family members providing care for a loved one. Caregiving can be stressful, and often is; however, with the information in this book, caregiving can be more enjoyable for both caregiver and patient. Chapters describe the many losses a patient may have experienced, and how the losses may affect the attitude and behavior of the patient. Suggestions for providing care -- physical, mental, and emotional -- are plentiful, with activities that can be fun for both the caregiver and the patient. There are also chapters on dementia, including Alzheimer's disease; coping with the stress of caregiving; caring for a patient during the dying process; and an extensive reading list of other sources of information that may be helpful.

An estimated 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. That number continues to grow - by 2050 the number of individuals with Alzheimer's could range from 11.3 million to 16 million. Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging. It is a devastating disorder of the brain's nerve cells that impairs memory, thinking, and behavior. Written for patients, their families, and caregivers, A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier will help readers understand what is physically happening to the brain so they can empower their own special skills and talents throughout the disease process. The book is divided into three sections that correspond to the progression of Alzheimer's and the unique challenges encountered at each stage. Section A: The major part of the book divides the progression of the disease into Stages: the Pre-Clinical Stage; Early-To-Mild Stage, which marks the onset of the disease; Moderate Stage; and the Severe Stage. Hundreds of practical tips geared to coping and compensating at each level of the disease provide support for the affected individual and the caregiver. Section B: A bonus section of questions and answers addresses specific issues caregivers face and give them points to reflect on as they continue the process. Key topics covered include: Legal and financial issues Family Forums in the caregiving process The role of medication at various stages of the disease Helping children understand what is happening to a loved one Handling the holidays and celebrations Making the living environment more stimulating and enjoyable Section C: Lists resources and suggests websites to find additional information about the disease itself as well as related valuable networks. With an abundance of pointers and guidelines for affected individuals, their families, friends and caregivers, A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier is essential for all readers who want to focus on the capabilities that remain instead of those that have been lost.

This is a down to earth "how to" book that is packed with tips from many seasoned caregivers. This Christian based book offers the reader large easy to read print. The author's wry sense of humor lends a sense of lightheartedness to the otherwise dry and often depressing field of caregiving. Follow the author as several experienced caregivers weigh in with what you might expect in the role of being a caregiver. Knowing what to expect can help you plan ahead for the caregiving opportunity that lies ahead. "By Jesus' strips mankind was healed. By your stripes ye shall have the way prepared for you".

Today more than 40 million people in the U.S. find themselves responsible for caring for a parent, relative, or friend. Building Better Caregivers, developed by the author team of the bestselling Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, shares the best in caregiving research and the most important lessons learned from thousands of caregivers. With a focus on reducing stress through the use of practical skills and tools, this book will help you manage your caregiving tasks so you can maintain a happy, fulfilling life while also meeting your caregiving obligations.

Care for yourself, while caring for a loved one with dementia When caring for someone with dementia, your own mental stability can be the single most critical factor in your loved one's quality of life. The Caregiver's Guide to Dementia brings practical and comprehensive guidance to understanding the illness, caring for someone, and caring for yourself. From understanding common behavioral and mood changes to making financial decisions, this book contains bulleted lists of actions you can take to improve your health and your caregiving. Inspirational and compassionate, it focuses on the caregiver's underlying love and humanity that cannot be taken away by any disease. In The Caregiver's Guide to Dementia you'll find: Dementia defined--Understand dementia and its many forms, with an explanation of the illness and its variations. Caregiver wellness--At the end of each chapter, a small section provides relaxation and mindfulness exercises and reflection for dementia caregivers. Practical approach--The back of the book is filled with resources, from financial planning to tips on safety, along with questions for health care professionals, lawyers, accountants, therapists, and friends.

Caregiving is one of the oldest, more natural and most critical vocations of life. However, everyone is not knowledgeable about how to care for their loved ones or family members. This book will aid in providing some general knowledge and specific insights for providing a safe and effective quality home care. The quality of care that is provided to your loved one(s) will allow them to remain in the home rather than being place in a long-term care facility. This book will further help you navigate through the challenges that come along with assisting and providing care to your loved one.

Caring for a loved one at home. What’s really involved? And what does it mean for your family and future? Tens of millions of Americans have had these questions and more as they prepare for this unsettling yet necessary task. The Family Caregiver’s Guide fills in the gaps, connecting the dots between research and real life. Drawing on the author’s extensive caregiving experience, this book provides strategies to care for your loved one, inside and out, as well as for yourself—including how to use your natural skills in your new role, and which skills you may need to add. You’ll discover how to set up your home for caregiving, including a safety checklist, equipment suggestions, and words you should know. And for those days that are more than a handful, you’ll find positive affirmations, a section on facing and accepting illness, and smart steps at the end of each chapter, in case you need guidance in a hurry. Caregiving has both rewards and challenges. But through it all, you’ll discover what’s most important—that caregiving is love in action.

*New Edition with Updated dementia, dementia care, and resource information.* According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are more than six million people living in the United States have Alzheimer's disease or some other form of dementia. Not reported in these statistics are the sixteen million family caregivers who, in total, contribute nineteen billion hours of unpaid care each year. This book addresses the needs and challenges faced by adult children and other family members who are scrambling to make sense of what is happening to themselves and the loved ones in their care. The author, an experienced medical and science writer known for her ability to clearly explain complex and emotionally sensitive topics, is also a former family caregiver herself. Using both personal narrative and well-researched, expert-verified content, she guides readers through the often-confusing and challenging world of dementia care. She carefully escorts caregivers through the basics of dementia as a brain disorder, its accompanying behaviors, the procedures used to diagnose and stage the disease, and the legal aspects of providing care for an adult who is no longer competent. She also covers topics not usually included in other books on dementia: family dynamics, caregiver burnout, elder abuse, incontinence, finances and paying for care, the challenges same-sex families face, and coping with the eventuality of death and estate management. Each chapter begins with a real-life vignette taken from the author's personal experience and concludes with "Frequently Asked Questions" and "Worksheets" sections. The FAQs tackle specific issues and situations that often make caregiving such a challenge. The worksheets are a tool to help readers organize, evaluate, and self-reflect. A glossary of terms, an appendix, and references for further reading give readers a command of the vocabulary clinicians use and access to valuable resources.

"[This book] explores the use of activities and other techniques to prevent, reduce and manage the behavioral symptoms of dementia. Separate sections cover daily activities, effective communication, home safety and difficult behaviors, with explicit strategies to handle agitation, repetitive questions, acting-out, wandering, restlessness, hoarding, resistance to care, incontinence, destructiveness, sexually and socially inappropriate acts at home and in public, aggressiveness, depression, and sleep disturbances. Worksheets are provided to help caregivers customize the strategies that work best for them." -- Back cover.

A Caregiver's Guide offers a concise, easy to read, hands on, practical, organized guidebook for any caregiver. Based on the Holy Bible and heartfelt personal experience. This short guide transcends cultures and generational boundaries. It deals with the human elements of caregiving. This model can be used as a reference over and over again to assist you in being a better caregiver.