The Eldercare Consultant

Your Guide to Making the Best Choices Possible
Erscheinungsjahr 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8144-3631-8
Verlag: AMACOM

Buch, Englisch, 256 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm, Gewicht: 424 g

Your elderly father’s memory is failing fast. Your increasingly frail mother just took another fall. Whatever the situation, The Eldercare Consultant can provide the knowledge, support, and encouragement you seek.Weaving together real-life stories with the essential information needed to make the best decisions, this compassionate and practical guide helps you: - Spot warning signs of physical and mental decline - Recognize when a loved one needs assistance - Determine the level of care needed - Evaluate the options - family caregiver, home health care, palliative care, senior housing, assisted livingfacilities - and select the right one - Discuss the issue with your loved one - Understand and manage the costs of care - Make the adjustment as smooth as possible - Avoid caregiver burnoutAuthor and eldercare expert Becky Feola knows first-hand that caring for someone who is no longer in complete control is hard.and the decision to seek outside help is one fraught with emotion. Her book helps cut the confusion, and turn an undeniably difficult transition into a journey of hope and love.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Feola, Becky

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Sport | Tourismus | Freizeit Sport Sport, Sportwissenschaft: Allgemeines

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Contents Acknowledgmentsix Introduction1 What Special Features Are Included in This Book7 1 Providing Eldercare for a Loved One9 It's Not Just About You10 Your Biggest Concerns Regarding Eldercare17 Managing Life Transitions28 Recognizing Your Role as a Family Caregiver33 Caregiver Survival Tip36 2 The Caregiver's Challenges39 Changing Family Dynamics40 Understanding the Legalities of Caregiving44 Managing Your Loved One's Needs46 Juggling Your Own Needs with Caregiving56 Understanding Caregiver Burnout58 Caregiver Survival Tip59 3 Easing Caregiver Concerns with Proactive Behavior61 Recognizing the Early Warning Signs62 Identifying Stages of Dementia66 Seeing Your Loved One in Today's Reality69 Twelve Signs It's Time for Assistance71 Consulting with Health Care Professionals74 Complicated Issues for Family Caregivers77 Caregiver Survival Tip83 4 Nurturing Your Loved One's Mind, Body, and Spirit85 The Mind: Understanding Changes in Your Loved One's Brain86 The Body: Understanding What's Happening Physically ?to Your Loved One92 The Spirit: Keeping Your Loved One's Inner Light Shining100 Caregiver Survival Tip103 5 Considering Options for Care Needs107 The First Option: Family Caregivers108 The Role of a Health Care Advocate110 Choosing Between Professional Home Health Care ?Agencies and Private Caregivers112 Palliative Care Services120 Hospice Services121 Care Communities124 Caregiver Survival Tip145 6 Paying for Your Loved One's Care147 Understanding Average Costs of Care148 Determining Needs and Budgeting for Costs of Care150 Identifying Ways to Pay for Care152 Caregiver Survival Tip165 7 Having the Difficult Discussions167 Bringing the Family Together168 Developing a Strategy for Your Discussion170 Doing Your Homework First177 Having the Discussion182 Caregiver Survival Tip188 8 Making the Right Decision191 Approaching Your Decision192 Knowing When to Compromise194 Deciding Who Makes the Final Decision199 Caregiver Survival Tip200 9 Special Considerations for Care203 The Special Care Needs of a Younger Person204 Traumatic Brain Injury206 Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementias210 Parkinson's Disease and Similar Conditions211 Feeding Tubes, Tracheotomy Tubes, and Other Medical Devices213 Dialysis215 Bed-­Bound Patients217 Behavioral Issues218 Caregiver Survival Tip220 10 Final Words of Advice After Any Change223 The Transition Period224 Common Mistakes Made During the Transition225 Suggestions for a Successful Transition229 No Guilt: You Did the Best You Could230 Caregiver Survival Tip232 Resources235 Index237

Über Autor(innen)

Becky Feola, the founder of Assisted Living Advantage, provides counseling, evaluations, and placement services for those seeking care options. As primary care giver to a husband with Huntington's disease, she faced the same challenges and had the same questions her clients do now.