Caregiver’s Guide

Every year, 65 million people give care to their frail, ailing, or disabled loved ones. Whether caregiving begins with a crisis or builds gradually, spouses, adult children, parents with sick children, even children themselves who care for parents and grandparents can find themselves struggling to navigate the often-confusing medical world while neglecting their own health and well-being. How can caregivers care for themselves when they are consumed with tending to someone else? This indispensible guide offers the information, support, and resources needed to achieve this difficult balance. In addition to advice on maintaining one’s own health and relieving stress, topics include medical terms and procedures, tips for doctor visits, ways to avoid mistakes in medicines, safety around the home, and the most common health problems. A list of resources and samples of important medical documents complete this essential manual.

Orthopaedic surgical nurse Sharon E. Hohler is a member of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses. The author of a number of journal articles, she is a member of the Heartland Writers Guild and the Missouri Writers Guild. She lives in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Elaine A. Moore has worked in hospital laboratories for more than 30 years, primarily in immunohematology and toxicology. She is a freelance medical writer and laboratory consultant. For more information, visit her website at www.elaine-moore.com. She lives in Sedalia, Colorado.

Sharon E. Hohler

Series Editor Elaine A. Moore

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 284
Bibliographic Info: glossary, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4962-0
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8833-9
Imprint: McFarland
Series: McFarland Health Topics

Acknowledgments      ix

Preface      1

SECTION I. CAREGIVING

1. Statistics and Stages of Caregiving      5

2. Children Involved in Caregiving      21

3. Caregivers Need Care Too      32

4. Stress Breakers      46

5. Looking Back Through History      60

6. All Things Medical      74

7. All Things Surgical      107

8. Practical Decisions      126

9. Grieving and Remembering      141

10. Strategies for Healthy Aging      152

SECTION II. COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

11. Alzheimer’s Disease      165

12. Arthritis      179

13. Cancer      193

14. Diabetes      207

15. Heart Disease      223

Glossary      237

Chapter Notes      241

Resources      257

Index      269

• “This well-written guide is a timely and valuable resource.”—ARBA
• “In this plain-language guide, Hohler urges caregivers to make self-care a priority”—Reference & Research Book News