A humorous guide to caring for aging parents sheds light on essential issues--including legal documents, Medicaid, end-of-life decisions, and more--and helps individuals prepare for the crises, confusion, and the unexpected joys of caregiving. Original.

Are you already on the caregiving journey with aging parents? Or perhaps you are wondering—and worrying about—what care your parents may need as they get older? You are not alone! No matter where you are on your caregiving journey, You, Your Parent, and Your Caregiving Journey: Strategies, Resources, and Inspiration to Guide the Way will provide you with a new, more positive way to think about your parents’ aging process. And it will give you tools, practical strategies, and inspiration that you can use at every stage in the journey. You, Your Parent, and Your Caregiving Journey guides you through five important “Waypoints” of caregiving, offering information, skills, and proven strategies on how to: • Understand aging in a new way, one that enhances the quality of your parent’s latter years; • Have the conversations and do the preparations that will make your journey easier; • Assess and ensure your parent’s safety; • Make decisions with your parent about the best living options; • Deal with the changes associated with dementia; and • Stay healthy and happy throughout your caregiving journey. This book will help you be a more effective, more compassionate, and less stressed caregiver. Even more, it will help you see that your caregiving journey will be worth the taking. “One of the best books on caregiving that I’ve seen” –Teresa DeAnni, MA, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging “A must-read for those who are looking for companionship and support through this journey” –Karen Fingerman, PhD, Research Director, Center on Aging and Population Sciences A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to organizations that support caregivers.

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.

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.

An AARP book for caregivers combining day-to-day advice and uplifting guidance in a daily meditations format. Family care giving has its challenges: emotional overload, time constraints, anxiety, burnout, missed work, adult sibling conflicts, and marital issues. AARP Meditations for Caregivers blends emotional and spiritual motivation to minimize the strains while helping caregivers view their work as a mission from the heart. Chapters are organized by theme, including topics such as accepting your feelings, knowing your limits, seeking support, and managing stress. Each reading offers a poignant meditation, an anecdote drawn from the author's personal or clinical experience, and hands-on or psychological advice to foster coping skills and a sense of fulfillment. The meditations in this dispensable book will provide you with solutions to typical care giving challenges, offer relief and renewal through mindfulness, and inspire you to find meaning and value in the work you do. /DIV

Sustain loving relationships and set yourself up for emotional wellness in your fifties, sixties, and beyond with this valuable collection of advice from two psychology experts. "Drs. Mayer and Jacobs use their clinical wisdom and story-telling abilities to bring to life the challenges for couples as they age. Their advice will help strengthen long-term relationships to combat the rising trend of Gray Divorce."--Janis Abrahms Spring, PhD, author of After the Affair and Life with Pop With couples divorcing at higher rates than any generation before, and longer lifespans leaving people unwilling to settle for an unsatisfying partner, it's more important than ever to refocus and strengthen your relationship. The only question is: how? In AARP Love and Meaning after 50, husband-wife psychologist team Julia Mayer and Barry Jacobs -- with 50+ years of experience between them -- identify the 10 most common challenges to sustain loving relationships: The Empty Nest * Extended Family * Finances * InfidelityRetirement * Downsizing and Relocating * SexHealth Concerns * Caregiving * Loss of Loved Ones AARP Love and Meaning after 50 offers insights and anecdotes, do it yourself assessments and follow-up exercises, and tips for connecting through the difficult times. With this book, you'll find deeper meaning and greater satisfaction for the decades ahead--together.

"The Caregiving Trap" combines the authentic life and professional experience of Pamela D. Wilson, who provides recommendations for overwhelmed and frustrated caregivers who themselves may one day need care. "The Caregiving Trap" includes stories about Pamela's actual personal and professional experience along with end of chapter exercises to support caregivers. Common caregiving issues include: A sense of duty and obligation to provide care that damages family relationships Emotional and financial challenges resulting in denial of care needs Ignorance of predictive events that result in situations of crises or harm Delayed decision making and lack of planning resulting in limited choices Minimum standards of care supporting the need for advocacy