You Don't Have to Do It Alone

Whether you're prepared for it or not, chances are you'll take on the role of caregiver when a family member or friend is affected by a serious illness or injury, or when you find your elderly parent needs help. As you'll soon discover, the range of tasks and responsibilities involved are overwhelming. "Share The Care" offers a sensible and loving solution: a unique group approach that can turn a circle of ordinary people into a powerful caregiving team. "Share The Care" shows you how to:

• Create a caregiver "family" from friends, real family members, neighbors, coworkers, and acquaintances.
• Hold a meeting to organize your group, and introduce members to the Share The Care systems that guarantee every job will be done and no one person will have to do too much.
• Discover the hidden talents within the group, make the most of their resources, cope with group issues, and stay together in the face of adversity.

Included here are valuable guidelines, compassionate suggestions, and a simple-to-use workbook section that together offer support to free the patient from worry and the caregivers from burnout. "Share The Care" offers friends and family the best answer ever to the frequently asked question "What can I do?"

A Caregiver's Guide to Lewy Body Dementia is the first book to present a thorough picture of what Lewy body dementia really is. Combining current strategies for managing symptoms and behaviors with personal examples that connect to readers' own experiences, this is the ideal book for caregivers, family members, and friends of individuals seeking to understand the disease and provide support to their loved ones. Written in easy-to-read language, the chapters incorporate handy facts and tips throughout, definitions of key terms, and practical wisdom to help caregivers navigate the day-to-day. Links to online resources, support groups, and associations are collected at the end of the book for further reference.As a complete guide to Lewy body dementia, this revised and updated second edition includes coverage of recent research developments and topic areas of growing interest, including: Updated information on the latest drug and treatment options Brand new chapter on the psychology of dementia, explaining the ways dementia changes the brain and how caregivers can continue to relate to their loved ones Discussions of the various causes for dementia-related behaviors and responsive dementia care techniques for caregivers to follow Expanded section on alternative therapies in a new chapter dedicated to managing stress

Journalist Elissa Strauss explores the powerful role caring for others plays in our individual and communal lives, weaving together research and stories from parents and caregivers with a feminist bent.

Behind our current caregiving crisis, in which a broken system has left parents and caregivers exhausted, sits a fierce addiction to independence. But what would happen if we started to appreciate dependency, and the deep meaning of one person caring for another? If we start to care about care?

With a curiosity and desire to understand more fully one of humanity's most profound and essential relationships, journalist Elissa Strauss she interrogates our societal obsession with going it alone and poses a challenge to let ourselves be transformed by the act of caregiving. When You Care weaves historical anecdotes and science with conversations with parents and caregivers to the young, old, disabled, ill, and more, revealing a rich array of insights about how care shapes us on the inside and the outside, for the better.

Care is a long-ignored force in our collective and political lives, as well as a deeply philosophical, spiritual, and psychologically potent experience. Moreso, an embrace of care by both women and men will lead to a more gender equitable future and help us reimagine what it means to be productive and live a meaningful life.

The unthinkable has become a day-to-day reality: your loved one has Alzheimer's disease. How can you cope and where can you turn for help and information? This new edition of Alzheimer's has been updated to cover the most recent developments in our knowledge of this heartrending disease. Drawing on her professional and personal background in caring for people suffering from Alzheimer's, the author offers practical, intelligent advice for caregivers searching for hope.Show More

Becoming a carer can be a physically and emotionally exhausting task and although there is help available many carers do not have the time to look for it or know who to contact. This indispensable guide aims to be a one-stop-shop for the huge percentage of the population who, now or later, find themselves in a caring role, whether that involves shopping for a housebound neighbour, or giving up work to care full-time for a disabled child or confused parent. This book will also help carers care for themselves. It looks at the difficult feelings that go hand in hand with caring, including how relationships are affected. There's guidance on what to do when a carer stops coping, and how to prepare emotionally and practically for the time when caring comes to an end. There is also an extensive resource section that arms carers with all the phone numbers, addresses and websites they need. Contents: Foreword; Introduction; 1. Becoming a carer; 2. Finding your way through the care maze; 3. The carer assessment; 4. Working with the professionals; 5. Money matters; 6. More on money; 7. Working careers; 8. Caring at home; 9. Healthy minds and healthy bodies; 10. How relationships are affected; 11. So, how are you feeling?; 12. Sharing the caring role; 13. Getting support for you; 14. Reviewing where you are; 15. Residential care; 16. Beyond caring; Resources; Acknowledgements; Index.

Millions of Americans are or will be amateur caregivers for ill spouses, parents, or friends. Caregivers today, more than ever, use technology to help manage schedules, medication routines and pharmacy reminders, legal and financial affairs, as well as travel and expenses. Yet recent insurance options and health care's emerging digital world make for an overwhelming, complex process. If you are one of the 64 million current caregivers, could you access your parents' critical documents in an emergency, using their user IDs and passwords? Do you know how often your parents or parents-in-law are taking medications, how often your loved one goes to the doctor, and how to be involved in medical and life decisions? Statistics show 85 percent of caregivers are not trained in caregiving, so many people are likely winging it, picking up pieces of information here and advice there. The Caregiver's Toolbox is your guide to cool apps and online tools, insider tips on how to reduce your medical bills, your privacy rights as a caregiver, where to go for free and low-cost help, and much more. It clearly shows which tools will relieve your stress, and those that may add stress. The authors dedicate much of their professional lives to helping people navigate the health care matrix. For updates on tools, applications, and emerging technology, visit the authors' website, www.caregivers-toolbox.com.

More than 400,000 people in the United States undergo kidney dialysis. For many, the prospect of a regular appointment with a dialysis machine seems like the end of life itself. But that reaction couldn't be more wrong.
In Dialysis Without Fear, psychiatrist and dialysis patient Dr. Daniel Offer joins with his wife, Marjorie Kaiz Offer, and daughter, Susan Offer Szafir, to reveal how life can be lived--and lived well--on dialysis. Drawing on his long career as a medical expert and more than seven years of
experience as a patient, Dr. Offer convincingly dispels the misconceptions surrounding this treatment, revealing how most dialysis patients can travel, work, and continue to partake in life's joys and celebrations. But the fears and hardships can be quite real, and Dr. Offer brings his years as a
psychiatrist to bear as he provides practical advice on how patients can overcome them. He walks the reader through each step of dialysis, explains different types of treatment, examines the pros and cons of a transplant, and discusses side effects. Dialysis, he notes, affects the entire family; his
own wife and daughter provide realistic insights into how relatives can cope and thrive together. Along the way, they provide a treasure trove of tips on adapting to the new diet, traveling overseas, and adjusting working hours. The Offers also relate inspiring success stories, sharing the humor,
courage, and triumphs of real families.
Life on dialysis is unquestionably difficult--but the difficulties can be overcome. With this inspiring, practical guide, patients can learn to live without fear, fulfill their hopes, and enjoy every day.

ABOUT THIS BOOK This book is written by an insider. A hospital administrator and practitioner who participated firsthand in laying the foundation for today's collapsing heath care system. A practitioner who then went on to make radical changes in the way he practiced his profession and his philosophy of health care delivery. A practitioner who is now hell-bent on making radical changes in this disastrous health care system he helped to create 30 years ago. This book is an insider's look at the sequence of events and decisions that led to the demise of our health care system. This book is designed to educate you to:

""Taking Care of Barbara" is an inspirational resource book for anyone living in the world of Alzheimer's. There are clear and concise caregiver tips and references in dealing with the everyday struggles that come with the progression of the disease. What a gift to know and be able to anticipate the needs of our loved one when they may not be able to communicate them. Most importantly, this book is a celebration of family and the relationship between the caregiver and the patient. It lifts the caregiver above the everyday struggles and reminds us of where to find the strength and joy in the frequent frustrations of the day. It inspires us to love beyond the external happenings and shows us there lies a deeper and greater gain that will enrich our spirit. The world of Alzheimer's may feel overwhelming, but this book encourages caregivers to get out of bed, put their feet on the floor and face the day with renewed strength and purpose."
-Kelly Cason Hunter, Hospice Volunteer, Pediatric Nurse

The 4th edition of Finnie's Handling the Young Child with Cerebral Palsy at Home has been updated to reflect the current practices of today. It aims to help parents assist their child with cerebral palsy (CP) towards achieving the most comfortable independence in all activities. It is hoped to show how, by using typical parenting skills, which involve guiding and exposing a child to develop through challenging experiences, the child with CP will also develop. The book is also intended to help professionals and other carers new to this field understand, support and encourage young children with CP and their families.Over the years since the first edition of this book was written ideas on appropriate therapies have changed and developed. Similarly opinion on early intervention has changed and the method of delivery of service has in some places moved from centralisation to home-based or community provision. The emphasis of this new edition however remains on a holistic approach to the child's needs seeing the difficulties in relation to the overall development of the child as a unique person from childhood to adulthood. Assessment procedures and prediction of future abilities Management of problems (including medication if appropriate) such as epilepsy, constipation, eneurisis, nourishment, difficulty with sleeping, crying, temper tantrums, sensory deficits and deformityStimulation, fitness, problem solving, compensatory strategies and ease of management New chapters include Neuroimaging, Epilepsy, Emotional health, Orthotics, Spasticity management, and Complementary and alternative medicineOver 460 revised illustrations showing different pieces of equipment which may be helpful and ways of holding and moving a child with cerebral palsyChapters on Sleeping, Feeding, Lifting and Carrying, Toileting, Communication and Fine motor movement have been completely re-written by a professional specialising in the particular field

Publishers Weekly hailed the first edition of Eldercare 911 as an "excellent, comprehensive guidebook." Today it continues to be the best "how to" book on the market for anyone facing the challenges of caring for an elderly loved one. Now this revised, updated, and expanded edition will offer the best step-by-step recommendations for over 200 situations, providing even the most experienced family caregivers as well as professionals with invaluable new insights and guidance for managing eldercare needs. Through a wealth of updated information and practical, easy-to-follow solutions to nearly every problem, the message throughout is "You are not alone." Eldercare 911 helps caregivers face reality with support and encouragement while reminding them: "When you've done the best you can, no one has the right to ask more of you."

The basic health care system in the United States is not working and must be fixed. The cost of a new, effective system of health care delivery would be instead of rather than in addition to what the US population is now paying for an inadequate, incomplete system. We must put the fiscal responsibility for health care delivery on the medical care sector that makes the decisions on what medications, what procedures and who gets treatment and when, that is, the providers of care, mostly the doctors. By doing this we can correct the more than fifty percent overpayment and misuse of funds currently in vogue. The book deals with the concept of the possibility of eventual coverage of everyone through the Medicare system as the current population ages. It explains the leverage that that single payer universal system such as Medicare, can generate to change the incentives for the providers of care resulting in a reduction of the overall cost. It also sets forth the concept of choice for the patient, the allocation of resources, and the restructuring of the medical education system as well as the recruitment and training of providers. Other problems such as organizational development, provider groups, malpractice, reinsurance through a universal system and other solutions are also dealt with. Today 45 million Americans have no health care coverage, while approximately 50 million are under insured due to high deductibles and co-payments. Many who are eligible for Medicare, federal health care insurance for the aged and Medicaid, federal health care for the poor, may be without coverage due to lack of access to services in the areas that they live. Practical solutions to these problems areaddressed. Robert Gumbiner, MD, with more than 40 years experience in the health care field as a practicing physician, a manager and a force in medical management education, derives much of his experience from successfully developing and managing one of the largest managed care companies in the United States for over 30 years. Drawing on this extensive management experience as well as years of studying health care systems around the world, Robert Gumbiner debunks the myths held by opponents to national universal health care and capitated prepayment. His development of the first capitated prepayment plan for Medical in the 60's in California and first contract for prepayment Medicare on the West Coast in the 80's gave credibility to his ideas that succeeded in reducing health care costs. He shows step-by-step how we arrived at our current dysfunctional system and argues persuasively how we have been misled by special interests in the medical/industrial complex into thinking a health care system funded through the government and managed for effective utilization will eliminate choice. In the final analysis the book's major theme is that the cost of a complete comprehensive system is "instead of and not in addition" to what we are currently paying and how to go about instituting such a system. It offers solutions that have been developed by the author throughout his long career in managing health care delivery systems. It is not a theoretical concept but based upon ideas, errors, successes and a logical, practical model.