1st Edition

Navigating the Journey of Aging Parents What Care Receivers Want

By Cheryl A. Kuba Copyright 2006
    204 Pages
    by Routledge

    202 Pages
    by Routledge

    Navigating the Journey of Aging Parents proposes an entirely unique approach to the field of gerontology, giving dependent care receivers a voice.  

    Caregivers will be made aware of what care receivers truly want during life's final chapters. Exploring issues of housing, spirituality, personal care and death, Cheryl Kuba has created a testament to the dependent elderly. This book draws on numerous interviews with aging people and discusses common caregiver mistakes and interpretations, what a caregiver should expect when an aging parent moves in, and how to care for an aging parent from afar. Kuba also delves into such phenomena as guilt, role reversal, changing family dynamics, financial stress, and caring for oneself while caring for another. The 22.4 million elderly people being cared for in the United States comprises the fastest growing segment of the population, making this reference on the opinions and concerns of care receivers invaluable.

    Foreword. Preface. Acknowledgements. Care Receivers - An Intimate Profile.  Start the Conversation.  Take Care of Yourself First. Growing Old and Feeling Ill - A Permanent Condition? Getting Up Close and Personal. Driving Through the Fog.  'Give Me the Keys'.  Leaving Home.  Destination Your House. A Million Miles Away - Receiving Care from a Distance. Circling the Wagons.  Where is the Love? What About God? Is He Still Listening to Me at this Age? The End of the Road: Death as Life's Final Chapter. 

    Biography

    Cheryl A. Kuba holds an M.A. in Gerontology, is the founder of Aging Parent Solutions, (LLC), and is a member of the National Speaker Association. She is the former Executive Director of the Ivy Retirement Community, regional marketing director for Brookdale Senior Living Communities, and director of public relations for the Illinois Hospital Association.

    'Cheryl Kuba reveals the inner world of the care receiver, providing a compassionate solution-orientated approach, invaluable action steps and resources enlightened by testimonials. Powerful, insightful, and a must for everyone!' - Bruno Cortis, author of The Spiritual Heart

    'Although there are now many guides for the baby boom generation about elder care, this is the first one that addresses the topic solely from the perspective of the care recipients. The rich personal stories based on interviews with elders who have chronic illnesses bring the dilemmas of caregiving and care receiving into sharp focus. Adult children will find direction and empathy in these pages.' - Daniel Kuhn, author of Alzheimer's Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends, and Caregivers and Director of Education, Mather Institute on Aging, Mather Lifeways