Product Description

One in four families in the U.S. is caring for parents or other senior relatives-and 72% of the primary caregivers in these families are women. This book is written for those 16 million women who are part of the "sandwich generation"-caught between the needs of their elderly relatives and their young families. These women often feel invisible, their own needs unobserved and unappreciated by those around them.

The Caregiver's Survival Handbook not only offers practical caregiving advice for these women, but also helps them deal with the emotional concerns they face:

€ Dealing with changing parent/child roles
€ Fostering aging parents' independence
€ Asking for, and getting, help from siblings and other family members
€ Balancing work, family, and caregiving duties
€ Finding time for themselves in the middle of it all

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #103476 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-03
• Released on: 2004-08-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780399529986
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Abramson directs this sourcebook at "caregivers at both ends of the spectrum," so whether readers are occasionally helping their parents balance their checkbook or are regularly bathing, feeding and dressing elderly family members, they’ll find valuable advice in this volume. The author, an aging expert who frequently appears on the Today Show, covers a lot of ground, and does a better job with certain subjects than others. Her advice on healthcare issues—from making sure those over 65 get enough calcium to paying for prescription drugs—is sound, if sometimes basic. And for particular afflictions (e.g., Alzheimer’s, dexterity problems), readers may want something more specific. But Abramson excels when she addresses the guilt, frustration, anger, fatigue and burnout that befall many women (this book’s primary intended audience) when they’re caught between caring for parents, children, maintaining a home and pursuing a career. She includes advice and anecdotes from women going through such travails, and their stories, coupled with Abramson’s soothing, compassionate advice, are sure to bolster the sense of self of many adults who are dealing with caring for their aging parents.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Alexis Abramson is a frequent guest expert for NBC's Today Show and Weekend Today, a frequent lecturer on issues faced by the elderly and their caregivers, and a consultant for AARP and other Fortune 500 corporations. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, People, Forbes, Time, and BusinessWeek magazines, among others.

Customer Reviews

THE BEST book on Caregiving I've ever read!
This book in superb. Having an ailing parent, I turned to this book for the helpful tips discussed on the jacket cover. But it was so much more than that....it made me feel understood. The plain-speak and thoughtfulness in the text made the goal of caregiving seem much more attainable....and less overwhelming. The stories and examples of others in a caregiving capacity helped me to feel not alone. I strongly recommend this book, whether you yourself are a caregiver or not, it is a must read book of the year.

Finally great advice for caring for an aging parent
The Caregiver's Survival Handbook is a great resource for me in caring for an aging father. The book has given me great ideas on how to plan for his healthcare and his general well being while allowing me to care for my own family. This is the first book I have found that addresses these issues in such a positive way.

the other 20 percent....
I'm 55, work a very demanding job 50 hrs a week or more and often "on call" for emergencies after hours. I also am the sole care provider for my mother who is suffering from Alzheimers and my father, suffering another form of dementia. Life is somewhat stressful at this point so I was looking forward to finding some help on surviving this difficult time with some "self" left when it's over. A few pages into the book the author gives statistics stating that 80 percent or more of elder caregivers are women. From that point on almost all references to the caregiver refer to "her" and things that women can do to help manage the process. Well, I'm part of the other 20 percent. As a guy, I had difficulty relating to many of the suggestions/comments and though it's probably a helpful book for women, I gave up about a third of the way into it and have moved on to searching for something I can better relate to.