At the heart of this book is a carer's story. However, it is much, much more than that. It is a book about being human, about the ups and downs of life, about loving, about trying to make sense and work out, and around the things that life throws at you how you have to find a way of living without ever forgetting your loved one. Beautifully written with love and confidence about a poignant time in the life of a family. The Struggle to retain the self of a beloved husband and father and the...

There is an unmistakable gleam in Ma’s eye, and her absolute composure both appalls me and rips my heart from its root. I burst into tears. The gauntlet is thrown.From the time she was conceived, Susan Morse was her mother’s “special” child. For Susan, special translated into becoming her incorrigible mother’s frazzled caretaker, a role that continued into adulthood. Now she finds herself as part of the sandwich generation, responsible for a woman...

Madelyn Kubin was a 70-year-old Kansas farm wife. She appeared to be fragile because of her thinning white hair, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, congestive heart failure, and severe hearing loss. But when her husband Quentin suffered a debilitating stroke, she was forced to summon all of her physical, emotional, and spiritual strengths in order to care for him at home. Madelyn managed her isolation, loneliness, and stress by going to her computer, disengaging her emotional monitor, and...

When tasked with providing activities for older people in care homes, it can be difficult to know where to begin. What constitutes an activity? How can you make sure activities are as positive and person-centred as possible? What can you actually do? Written by an experienced activity coordinator, this handbook is an indispensable companion for others in this role. The author provides useful background information on dementia, the importance of activities and how to get to know residents t...

Today, more than two million Australians are over 70 years of age; by the year 2050 seniors are likely to make up almost 30 percent of the population. The implications of this are not just political; they are very personal. At some stage in life, most of us will help an elderly friend, parent, partner, relative or spouse make important decisions about their health and wellbeing, housing, care, finances, legal affairs and end of life care. This new book has been written for any Australian who ...

Caring for elderly parents is challenging. It's a season of life that requires grace and strength that can only come from God. In The Caregiving Season, Jane Daly shares personal caregiving stories, offering practical advice to help you honor your aging parents well and deepen your personal relationship with Christ along the journey.

The Gerrier family faced monumental challenges together. Eggs on the Wall . . . For the Love of Family is about sacrifice, responsibility, and the compassion that Donna Jean had for her elderly parents. They embraced humour and a love of life, which was better than medicine. Her mother was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. Her father, a Parkinsonian, cared for her mother until he suffered a stroke. This resulted in both parents being immobile and confined to wheelchairs...

This groundbreaking book is based on the findings of the first major study on spiritual reminiscence work with people with dementia. Carried out over a decade, the study confirmed spiritual reminiscence to be an effective means of helping people with dementia to find meaning in their own experience, and interact in meaningful ways with others.The authors present the evidence for the efficacy of spiritual reminiscence with this group, and drawing on examples demonstrate its many ben...

Spiritual reminiscence is a way of communicating that acknowledges the person as a spiritual being and seeks to engage the person in a more meaningful and personal way. This practical guide teaches carers how to facilitate engaging and stimulating spiritual reminiscence sessions with older people, and particularly with people with dementia.After reading the guide, carers will understand the many and varied benefits of spiritual reminiscence, and will have developed the skills, conf...

In People with Dementia Speak Out, twenty-three people from diverse backgrounds share their experiences of living with dementia.The contributors are honest about the frustrations and fears they face, but overall there is remarkably little self-pity and a great deal of optimism. The personal accounts demonstrate that with the right support at the right time, and above all with opportunities to continue to contribute to society in a meaningful way, it is possible to live well with de...

The book Downloads from God shows us the immense life changing power that comes with real spiritual growth – Power that changes people and circumstances for the better. The story of Charlie and the challenges he faces being an elder in the health care system, and the frustration of his son trying to watch out for his interests, could be played out in any city in the country with the Ageist biases of today's health care system.We are reminded that wisdom often comes to the rest of us...

The role of the family caregiver is very rewarding, but being a caregiver can also be physically and emotionally exhausting. Caregivers often feel overwhelmed by their work and the demands of those receiving their care, and these demands touch every aspect of their lives. Still, despite the challenges, millions of family caregivers provide care to many of the 36 million seniors living in the United States. AARP counts 65.7 million caregivers in America today—almost one-third of the adult U...