30 Nov 10 Must Read Books for Family Caregivers
Consider the different titles below for caregiver support and advice. These books are valuable to family members that provide support to senior and disabled loved ones. They also help caregivers find perspective and maybe even some humor in the face of caregiving challenges. The selections below include memoirs, self help, and resources for providing specialized care such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Family caregivers don’t always get shelter from the everyday stress of providing care for loved ones. Through juggling various responsibilities, it can be challenging to rationalize the evident luxury of self-care. However, family caregivers need to take time to deal with their struggles or to take a break. Caregiver books can help with this by offering real world insights into the challenges of caregiving that one can relate to. Also, they help highlight caregiver burden and stress and offer advice for overcoming it.
The importance of self care
Many of those providing care for loved ones don’t take the time for either self care or to find support. However, as a caregiver and human being, this would be a mistake. Caregiving can be extremely challenging. It can be taxing mentally, emotionally, and physically. The effects of caregiving can be so difficult that the CDC has highlighted it as a public health issue.
As a result, family caregivers shouldn’t feel alone or like they have to suffer in silence. By providing yourself the ability to relax and recharge, the time you take for self care doesn’t have to be extravagant. Simple pleasures like reading and other hobbies while balancing the care you provide can help you stay sane and healthy.
Caregivers can get the support they need with professional home care services. Chosen Family Home Care is the premier provider of home health aides and caregiving support in and around the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Contact us now for a free consultation or for more questions.
Dig into a good book
Cracking open a book can be beneficial in so many ways. It’s low cost, can be done just about anywhere and anytime, and can provide a temporary escape while educating at the same time. Additionally, the books can also offer great resources to elevating your care that you provide to your loved one. Even more importantly, there is some evidence that it can improve health and well-being of its readers.
10 Essential Books for Family Caregivers
Below we highlight 10 books for you to provide for attentive self care or to better care for your loved one. This includes specific challenges, such as caring challenges for dying spouses or for dementia and Alzheimer’s caregivers.
The Caregiving Wife’s Handbook: Caring for Your Seriously Ill Husband, Caring for Yourself
The Caregiving Wife’s Handbook is a step-by-step guide. It assists women in maintaining emotional, financial, and physical health in their crucial role as caregivers to their dying husbands.
At Chosen Family Home Care, we found clients that could relate to many of the situations, frustrations, and emotions listed in this book. We saw that it helped women uncover that what was happening in their life and their feelings were normal under their trying circumstances.
Other articles we think you might like:
- 18 Must-Read Blogs for Caregivers
- 8 Innovations For Improving Lives of those with Dementia and Alzheimer’s and their Caregivers
- 10 Ways to Help Individuals and Families Living with Dementia
- Caregiver Burden and Stress: Understanding It and 8 Tips to Overcome It
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias: 101 Stories of Caregiving, Coping, and Compassion
This book comes from the popular Chicken Soup for the soul series. It provides encouraging and inspiring stories by other caregivers that provide care to those afflicted with Alzheimer’s and dementia. In total, there are 101 stories designed to inspire and encourage you on your caregiving journey for family members that have dementia and Alzheimer’s. Be sure to check out their other stories for general caregiving in this book.
Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Disease
Joanne Koenig Coste, author, offers a practical approach to the mental and emotional well-being of both patients and their caregivers in this book It emphasizes relating to patients in their own reality for those suffering with dementia or related Alzheimer’s diseases. The author’s method works to enhance communication between care partners and patients while offering other practical tips.
At Chosen Family Home Care, we find lists and guides useful. This book uses them to discuss, as well as help determine, what stage of dementia or Alzheimer’s illness your loved one is currently in. It demonstrates clearly what’s to come, from stage to stage. Plus, it offers great methodology to manage these issues without adding undue stress to your loved one with Alzheimer’s.
The Conscious Caregiver: A Mindful Approach to Caring for Your Loved One Without Losing Yourself
Linda Abbit is a seasoned writer experienced in the field of caregiving. We found the suggestions for self-care both insightful, timely, and incredibly resourceful. This guide can help you care for your loved one and yourself at the same time.
Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos into Confidence
This caregiving guide talks about the challenges of caregiving along with the negative aspects that come with it. It highlights ways that we can get through these challenges and find the strength to carry on.
When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative
This brand new book was just released in October 2020 by Aaron Blight. The author explores the daily realities of caregiving and offers candid, practical advice. It aims to help family caregivers cope with the numerous challenges that they face. This wonderful guide will be a resource for anyone tasked with these enormous responsibilities and in need of peace of mind.
Casey’s Village: It Takes a Village for Transformation
Another new book on our list, just released in September 2020. When a wife struggles alone as the caregiver of her husband with Alzheimer’s, she realized the need for help from people around her. It’s a nice story that mixes both fact and fiction, and is empowering for caregivers that need a little support.
The Caregiving Trap: Solutions for Life’s Unexpected Changes
This lovely book combines the real life and professional experience of the author Pamela D. Wilson. She offers recommendations for frustrated and overwhelmed caregivers who themselves may one day be in need of care.
The Caregiving Trap includes stories about the author’s actual personal and professional experiences. Additionally, she includes helpful end of chapter exercises to support caregivers.
The 36-Hour Day, sixth edition: The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss
This is considered one of the “gold standards” of caregiving books. Particularly, it is useful for caregiving for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Now on it’s sixth edition, The 36-Hour Day has been a vital resource for families who love and care for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia disease. These individuals will face a host of problems, and this caregiving book will help family members and caregivers address these challenges. Plus, it helps cope with their own personal emotions and needs.
Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? A Memoir
In her first memoir, the author Roz Chast brings her featured style to the topic of aging parents. A cartoonist for the New Yorker, the caregiving book spans the last several years of her parents lives. The story is told through color cartoons, family photos, and a narrative filled with as many laughs as there are tears. The memoir offers comfort and humor for anyone experiencing the loss of elderly parents and for family caregivers responsible for providing support. A fascinating view of two lives at their end and an only child coping as best she can with her situation. Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant displays the depth of author Roz Chast’s talent both as a cartoonist and storyteller.
Reading as an outlet
If you are one of the over 40 million family caregivers in America today, you have a responsibility to provide self care. Reading can give you an outlet. It offers respite from the daily challenges of caregiving. These books and many others can provide a way to learn about best caregiving practices. Plus, they can offer insight into improving the care you offer, and other care-related information including ways to pamper yourself. More than anything, it is nurturing to the mind and soul. Open a book and care for yourself. Don’t be afraid or guilty to make the time to provide for your own needs.
Consider further resources
To conclude, managing caregiving and coping with its challenges is possible. By prioritizing your own self care, you can make things a little easier on you. Also, you can improve the care you provide to a loved one in need as well. Read our blog post on managing caregiver burden and stress as well as our guide to juggling a career and caregiving as additional resources.
If you need additional support to help meet the challenges of caregiving, consider a supportive home care agency such as Chosen Family Home Car
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