Taking Care of Aging Family Members:: A Practical Guide

Established in its first edition as the definitive guide for family members and professionals on all aspects of caring for the aged, this beautifully written and comprehensive handbook has now been updated and expanded to include more issues of concern to the aged and those who care for them. Unlike other books on caring for the aged, Taking Care of Aging Family Members provides thorough and substantive advice and information on the complete range of psychological, social, and financial issues that face those involved in caring for an older person. This expanded edition includes new sections on spiritual concerns, ethnicity, and self-neglect, as well as updated sections on conflict resolution in families, long-distance caregivers, coping with physical changes, and the woman-in-the-middle who cares for both children and parents. Drawing on their extensive research and practice experience, the authors provide concrete information and suggestions, as well as ready-to-use charts and checklists. They also direct readers to relevant local and national resources. Unlike most other books on caring for the aged, this book includes the standpoints both of the caregiver and of those receiving care and emphasizes the dignity and autonomy of the elderly person. Taking Care of Aging Family Members, revised and expanded, will be essential reading for adult children, spouses and partners of the aged, and friends involved in the care of an older person, as well as for students and professionals in nursing, medicine, physical and occupational therapy, and social work.