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Passages In Caregiving: Turning Chaos Into Confidence (2010)

by Gail Sheehy(Favorite Author)

4.1 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0061661201 (ISBN13: 9780061661204)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

William Morrow

review 1: Sheehy tells the personal story of tending to her husband through his long illness as the starting point, and ongoing thread, through a description of the stages all caregivers pass through. There is certainly a universal element to taking care of someone, and she shores up her thoughtful, gentle and insightful roadmapping with interviews with/anecdotes about other people tending to their dear ones to illustrate each turning point in the labyrinth. This book is great for the people it is just right for, because caretaking is an isolating, frightening business and you need all the reassurance you can get. But I am not sure this is a universally comforting or inspiring book. Not everyone has the resources to make the helpful adjustments she advocates (hire home health ai... moredes! buy them a wii! go to Europe!), and even with this guidebook to the undeniably universal emotions and stages, the realities of individual situations may not lead to relationship breakthroughs and healing revelations and places of peace, or proceed in a generally orderly fashion along the path to the center of the maze. It's valuable to read, but I felt a little like I feel when I read a book about getting organized.
review 2: Sheehy kept journals during the 17 years her husband needed care. They were a busy couple, keeping residences in Berkeley (his job), N.Y.C. (her job), eastern Long Island (family get-away) and she commuted cross country as needed. She gives a straightforward account of emotions, solutions, searching for care, warning what insurance and Medicare will and will not pay for, palliative care when Hospice is not yet an option. I gave this four stars because I was a caregiver and needed her message "turning chaos into confidence." less

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