When you’re the caregiver of a loved one, having a strong support system is essential for helping your emotional (and physical) well-being. You probably already know about the importance of making time for yourself, looking into support groups and leaning on family members and friends to help you through the rough times. Another great resource caregivers can use to gain support and understanding is books written by caregivers themselves.
“Although people in your life will be able to empathize with your situation, the only ones who can truly understand what you’re going through are individuals who have been caregivers as well,” says Barbara Harrison, Executive Director of Bridges® at Pembroke, a memory care assisted living community in Pembroke, MA. “Although face-to-face or online support groups can help connect you to other caregivers, you may not always feel comfortable sharing or know the right questions to ask. A book written by caregivers, however, is always there and available. They can provide a unique and deep perspective in a non-threatening, educational way.”
Not only can caregiving books help caregivers themselves, says Harrison, but they can also be excellent resources for other family members and friends who are affected by your loved one’s situation. “The caregiving role can be difficult to understand from others who are looking in from the outside because they’re not living your reality day in, day out. However, by providing your family and friends with perspectives written by caregivers, they can get a better picture of what you and your loved one are going through, and perhaps discover ways to support you that they might not have thought of before.”
Part of the Bridges® at Pembroke mission is to provide support and education for family members, friends and loved ones who are dealing with the reality of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or memory-related illness. Below, you’ll find a list of top books written by caregivers, for caregivers.
1. How to Care for Aging Parents – 3rd Edition: A One-Stop Resource for All Your Medical, Financial, Housing, and Emotional Issues
By Virginia Morris and Jennie Chin Hansen RN
The title says it all. This book has been called “the Bible of elder care” and author Virginia Morris is one of the most well-known, respected voices on aging in today’s society. Now in its third edition, How to Care for Aging Parents has helped countless caregivers with all aspects of the aging process – everything from starting the conversation, financial planning, emotional care and more. It’s a must-have guide for helping you and your loved ones put together a comprehensive care plan.
2. The Complete Eldercare Planner, Revised and Updated Edition: Where to Start, Which Questions to Ask, and How to Find Help
By Joy Loverde
Another oldie-but-goodie updated to meet the demands of modern issues, medical and technology, The Complete Eldercare Planner is a step-by-step, reliable guide that walks caregivers through the latest in senior care methods, planning and caring for loved ones, as well as providing resources on where to find additional information and much-needed assistance.
3. Eldercare for Dummies
By Rachelle Zukerman
If you like senior care info with a sense of humor, this eldercare-focused book in the classic Dummies series is a seriously good guide with a bit of cheekiness thrown in. The information is solid and easy-to-understand, and tackles a very serious subject with a balance of levity and good-heartedness.
4. A Bittersweet Season: Caring for Our Aging Parent and Ourselves
By Jane Gross
When Jane Gross became a caregiver for her 85-year-old mother, she didn’t know at first what she was getting into. This memoir by the New York Times expert on elder care shares her enlightening, frustrating, heartbreaking and redemptive journey through the aging and caregiving process. All along the way, she shares information she wished she’d known earlier. It’s a smart, sometimes funny, always moving read that you’ll find yourself keep coming back to.
5. The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer’s Disease, Related Dementias, and Memory Loss
By Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins
Yet another must-have for the dementia caregiver. For 30 years, this book has been the go-to source for learning every aspect of the causes of dementia, managing the early stages of dementia, the prevention of dementia, and finding appropriate living arrangements for the person who has dementia when home care is no longer an option. It’s been updated to reflect today’s needs and should be a staple on any caregiver’s shelf.
6. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Caregivers: 101 Stories of Love, Sacrifice, and Bonding
By Joan Lunden and Amy Newmark
These individual stories of support, encouragement, sacrifice and lessons – from caregivers as well as the ones receiving the caregiving – are perfect bite-size stories to let you know you’re not alone. Read it in one sitting, or here and there when you need a boost.
7. The Caregiving Wife’s Handbook: Caring for Your Seriously Ill Husband, Caring for Yourself
By Diana B. Denholm
Most of the time, it’s women – daughters and wives especially – who find themselves thrust into the role of caregiver. This book, written by a board certified medical psychotherapist and primary caregiver, shines a light on what it’s like as a woman to get through their partner’s illness, decline and even death with compassion, communication and love.
8. Daily Comforts for Caregivers
By Pat Samples
Each page of this book is written in the first person and reads as a caregiver giving a monologue. The idea is for the reader to transition from “venting,” to thinking about the issue from a different perspective, to finding a solution. Daily Comforts finds ways to help caregivers and family cope while providing affirmations to help caregivers take care of themselves, too.
9. Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos into Confidence
By Gail Sheehy
Gail Sheehy’s essential guide on aging Baby Boomers lists nine crucial steps for effective caregiving, paired with intelligence, empathy and deep research. Passages in Caregiving examines every aspect of caregiving from the very first signs of an issue to the very end.
If you would like to learn more about what to expect when living with dementia, or if you’d like more resources for caregivers, please contact us at 781.754.4500.
Compassionate Care for All Stages of Memory Loss
Bridges® by EPOCH at Pembroke provides assisted living memory care that is comfortable, positive, safe and engaging. Exclusively dedicated to caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia or memory impairment, we’ve created a wellness-focused lifestyle that promotes dignity and individual preferences. Our memory care professionals receive specialized and ongoing training designed to help residents maximize their independence in a secure, calm environment – making a truly positive impact on the lives of our residents each and every day.
Dedicated Memory Care
The team of compassionate dementia-care experts at Bridges® by EPOCH at Pembroke delivers 24-hour assistance and inspiring programs that exercise physical and cognitive abilities – all in a supportive, purposefully designed environment. For added peace of mind, we offer simple, all-inclusive pricing options that help make the process a little easier for families.
Community Amenities
Characterized by a beautiful residential design, Bridges® by EPOCH at Pembroke provides everything residents with memory loss need to enjoy comfort, familiarity and security. Soft colors, directional cues, aromatherapy and interactive life stations create a peaceful and secure environment where residents feel at home.