A Caregiver's 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.