ch02 caregiving

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Caregiving

Principal authors: Peter S. Houts, PhD and Carole BeanBooklet editor: Peter S. Houts, PhD

This handout is based on a chapter fromEldercare at Home, a publication of The

AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA). Visit www.healthinaging.org for

more information on the workbook and presentation kits, as well as access the full

text of Eldercare at Home (without illustrations).

This handout can be reproduced and distributed provided it is not altered or

sold for profit.

2004 The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging

The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging

Eldercare At Home - Caregiving 1
http://www.healthinaging.org/http://www.healthinaging.org/


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Understanding the problemDefines the problem, who is likely to have it, and what kinds of things can be dto deal with it.

When to call for professional helpExplains when to call for help immediately or during office hours as well as listsinformation you should have before you call.

What you can do to helpWhat you can do to help with the problem and to prevent it.

Carrying out your planHow to deal with problems in carrying out your plan, how to check on progress, awhat to do if your plan isnt working.

Booklet summarySummarizes what you can do to manage this problem. You can use this sectionget a quick overview of what you can do.

Each action you can take is in bold and has a picture illustrating the action.

An important resource for this booklet was the Caring Families manual developedby the Family Caregiver Project at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Theauthors of the Caring Families manual were D.D. Fernald, PhD; James R. Cook,PhD; and Catherine A. Gutman, DrPH, RN. Its development was supported bygrant no. 90PD0153 from the Office of Human Development Services of theDepartment of Health and Human Services.

U.S.




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Understanding the Problem

Juan is learning abouthow he can give goodcare to his mother.

Caring for an older person at home requires a team of people with different skills

and perspectives. Doctors, nurses, social workers, and clergy all make important,specialized contributions, but family members or friends give the day-to-day care.

Your close personal relationship with the person you are caring for helps you to

understand and interpret his or her feelings, wishes, and needs. You are also the

first to become aware of many physical and emotional problems, the first to deal

with those problems, and often are the person who carries out plans that you and

other team members develop. As a team member, your job is to work cooperatively

with other members of the teamboth family and professionalin solving

caregiving problems. To do this you need to use the four problem-solving steps

discussed in the first chapter of this book.

As much as possible, the older person and the whole family need to be

involved in problem-solving. Involve other family members in planning and

making decisions, as well as carrying out plans. Give them information and invite

them to express their concerns. This can reduce your burden and any criticism by

other family members who may not be as directly involved.

Remember that the older person is also a member of the team. His or her

participation is essential for plans to succeed. It is also his or her right to beinvolved.

Emphasize the positive parts of caregiving. Some caregivers see their work as

helping someone about whom they care deeply. Others see caregiving spiritually,

as part of Gods plan for them. Many feel that caregiving has enriched their lives.

Others see it as a challenge and want to do the best job they can. And some see




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caregiving as a way of showing appreciation for the love and care they have

received themselves.

Caregiving can have important benefits. Caring for an older person at home can

give you a sense of satisfaction and confidence. You will discover inner strengthsthat you didnt realize you had. Caregiving can draw families together and can help

people feel closer to the person who needs care.

You can also use your caregiving to open doors to new friends and relationships.

This can happen from talking to other people who have faced the same problems,

from meeting people in a support group, from meeting health professionals who

showed understanding and concern, and from family members who may have

grown distant but who now are drawn together because of this difficult situation.

Your goals for caregiving are:

Be an effective team member working with doctors, other healthprofessionals, family, and friends in solving caregiving problems

Involve the person you are caring for as much as possible in yourcaregiving plans

Take care of your own needs so that you have the emotional and physicalstrength to be an effective caregiver

Call for professional help when needed




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When to Get Professional Helpfor yourself

Elizabeth is calling thedoctors office whenthe doctor has officehours.

Caregiving is challenging and rewarding, but it is also very hard work. As a result,

you may experience stress and need professional help yourself. Ask for help from

a doctor or other health professionals if any of the following conditions exist.

Mary is feeling sad anddepressed and can onlythink of bad things that couldhappen. So she calls thedoctor during office hours.

You are experiencing

moderate to severe depression

You should get professional help

if you are experiencing mood

swings going from periods ofdepression to periods of agitation

and high energy; if you feel sad

most of the day, have lost interest

in most of your daily activities,

have difficulty paying attention

to what you are doing, and have

trouble making choices; if you

are thinking seriously of harming

or killing yourself; or if you have

been severely depressed beforethis illness and recognize early

symptoms of depression.




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When to Get Professional Help for yourselfGetting help for depression is just like getting help for physical problems. It is

normal to be upset at times when caring for someone in your home for a long

period of time. Professionals such as social workers, counselors, clergy,

psychologists and psychiatrists are skilled and experienced in helping depressedpeople. Your family doctor can also be helpful in assessing how severe your

depression is and in recommending a professional to help you. Your family doctor

may also help by prescribing medicine to help for short periods of time

Angela is very upset because shecannot do all the things she wants todo for her grandmother. So she calls

the doctor during office hours.

You are feeling overwhelmed

and not sure you can manage

at home

Ask for help from your Area

Office on Aging, socialworkers, or counselors who are

familiar with services that are

available in the community.

This includes respite care

where someone comes to the

home to stay with the older

person so that you can leave, do

errands, visit friends, go to

meetings, and get recreation orrest.

Thelma is wondering what kind ofnursing home would be best for hergrandmother. So she calls thedoctors office during office hours.

You need information and

guidance about moving the

older person to a nursing

home or other care setting

Social workers are often

knowledgeable about nursinghomes in your area. They often

know about costs, the kinds of

services each provides, and how

patients and families have felt

about the care given there.




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What You Can Do To be aSupportive Caregiver

George wants to help hisdad.

Involve the older person indeveloping and carrying out

care plans.

Angela is asking her mother to help solvea caregiving problem.

This is one of your most

important jobs. It can also be

the most challenging. Mental as

well as physical problems may

make it difficult for older

people to participate in

planning their care. However,their participation is essential.

When they participate, they feel

respected and are more likely to

feel committed to the plan and

to cooperate in carrying it out.

To help the older person participate, you have to pay special attention to what you

say and how you say it. For example, speaking where the older person can see your

face, speaking clearly, speaking slowly, sitting close so you can have direct eye

contact, leaning forward or nodding your head to show interest, avoiding

interrupting or judging, and watching for signs of fatigue or tension.




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What You Can Do To be a Supportive Caregiver

Be realistic and flexible about

what you hope to

communicate and agree on.If the older person has

difficulty understanding you,

remembering what you said,

and making decisions, then you

will have to simplify your

explanations and the decisions

you ask him or her to make.

Andys dad is shaking his headbecause he doesnt understand. So

Andy is making his explanationsimpler.

If the older person disagrees or wont cooperate with the plan

Suggest a trial run or a time limit

this puts off a final decision until he or

she has had a chance to try the plan.

Amanda suggests that her mothertry a plan for just a week. Then shecan decide if she likes it.




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Explain your needs openly.

Sometimes you will need to ask

the older person to do things to

make your life easier or your

caregiving responsibilities more

manageable. Remember that

not all decisions will make

everyone happy. On some

issues you will have to

compromise and, on others,

youll have to ask the olderperson to compromise. Nancy is telling her mother about her

own problems. Her mother has tounderstand Nancys needs as wellas her own.

Choose your battles carefully.

Ask yourself, What is really

important here? You can save

energy by skipping the minor

conflicts and using your energy

and influence on issues that

really count.

Vickie and her father disagree aboutsomething that Vickie thinks is veryimportant. So she is standing her ground.But she lets her father have his way onthings that are not important to her.




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Let the person you are caring

for make decisions as much as

possible. If the older person

understands the consequences

of a decision, you should accept

his or her right to make the

decision. If you are concerned

about safety or health, suggest

only options that are safe.

Nancy is asking her aunt to choose whichway to go. Nancy helps her aunt to makeas many decisions as possible.




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Work with health professionals

Below are some practical suggestions to keep in mind when you need information

and help from the doctor or other health professionals.

Be clear about what

information you want and get

to the point as soon as possible.

Make lists of questions and

concerns and have the lists in

front of you when talking to

health professionals.

Have all the information

health professionals may need

when you call. Try to think

ahead to what information

medical staff may need, and try

to have it ready when you talk

to them about a problem. This

will help the staff give you theinformation and guidance you

need quickly. When Melonie calls the doctor, she has alist of information so she can answer thedoctors questions.

Thelma has a list of questions when shesees the doctor.




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Work with health professionals

Be firm and straightforward

about getting the information

and help you need.Health professionals are here to

help you be a good caregiver.

Make your requests with

confidence so that you will get

the information you need and

dont be afraid to admit when

you do not understand. Remain

calm. Being angry is not

usually helpful. Being pleasant,

firm, persistent, and showing

appreciation are usually the

best strategies.

Tanya asks the doctor for information in anice way. She keeps asking nicely untilshe gets the information she needs.




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Take care of your own needs and feelings

You need to be at your best to do the best job of helping. Therefore, you should

pay attention to your own needs as well as those of the person you are caring for.

Set limits on what you can reasonably expect yourself to do. Take time off to carefor yourself and your needs and ask for help before stress builds up.

Schedule positive experiences

for yourself. There are three

types of positive experiences

that you need for good mental

health: enjoyable activities withother people (examples: talking

with a friend, playing with

grandchildren, attending a

meeting), activities that give

you a sense of accomplishment

(examples: cooking a special

meal, exercising, helping

others, finishing a project), and

activities that just make you

feel good (examples: watchinga funny movie, playing with a

pet, walking out of doors,

listening to favorite music).

You should plan for each of

these types of activities

regularly. If you dont,

caregiving may fill up all your

time which will then increase

your stress and reduce yourability to give good care.

Kit is marking on the calendar when shewill do things that she likes to do. This willhelp her relax and to do a better job caring

for her grandfather.




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Pay attention to your own

positive experiences. Make an

effort to notice and talk aboutpleasant experiences as they

happen during the day. It is

often helpful to set aside a

special time each evening when

you can think about - or share

with others - the good things

that happened that day. Another

idea that many people have

found useful is to make lists of

pleasant experiences. Keepthese lists and read them over

from time to time to remind

yourself about the good things

as they happen. After you have

done this for awhile, you will

find yourself noticing good

things as they happen and

youll start the day looking

forward to pleasant things thatwill happen.

Angela takes time at the end of every dayto make a list of the good things thathappened to her that day.

Be sure you get enough rest.

If you are physically exhausted,

your ability to cope with

problems will decrease. Youwill be a better problem-solver

when you are rested.

Thelma makes sure that she gets plenty ofsleep. This helps her to give better care toher aunt.




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Get help from others.Dont try to do everything

yourself. If you do, caregiving

can wear you out, increase your

stress, and interfere with your

ability to give good care at

home. Learn about services that

are available in your

community. Support groups

sponsored by hospitals and

disease-related volunteergroups (such as Cancer or

Alzheimers) can sometimes be

very helpful. In addition, you

should ask for help from family

members and friends. Try to

share tasks. For example, bills

can be forwarded to a family

member who live far away to

relieve the caregiver of thismonthly chore.

Charlotte asks her family and friends tohelp her care for her mother. She doesnttry to do everything herself. This helps herenjoy caregiving and to give her motherthe best care.




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Sometimes family caregivers

withdraw from family and

friends, especially as theirwork gets more difficult.

They do this because they do

not want others to see their

problems or because they are so

busy that they dont make time

to be with others.

Unfortunately, some very

important things are lost when

you see fewer and fewer

people. You lose thestimulation of thinking about

other peoples lives and you

lose the suggestions and help

which others can give. You

might also forget that other

people love and care about you

and are willing to help when

asked.

Pat is telling people that she does notwant help. This is wrong. It makes herwork harder and she thinks people dontcare about her, which is not true.

Reach out to others and ask for their help

Make a list of people who can

give companionship and

support to you and the person

you are caring for.

Dont worry about how far

away these people live, howbusy they are, how long since

youve talked to them, or even

how well you know them.

Make as long a list as you can

to give you the most choices

and practical help.

Judy makes a list of people who couldhelp care for her mother. She also writeswhat they can do and how she can helpthem have a good time when helping.




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Reach out to others and ask for their help

Have a list of how people

could help. Make your listspecific - so the people you

asked understand exactly what

is needed. Then they will be

able to budget their own time

and be prepared to give the help

you need.

Go down your list and think

how you could make a visit

(or a phone call) pleasant and

enjoyable for each person.

Use these ideas when you invite

them and when they visit or

call. When you do this, visitors

will want to come again and

you will feel good about asking

them to return.

Judy then calls the people on her list andasks them for help. She explains whatthey will do and how long it will take. Shealso makes sure that they will feel goodabout helping.

Develop strategies for dealing with strong feelings

It is natural to have strong feelings when giving care over a long period of time.

Following is a list of strong feelings that caregivers often have and strategies for

dealing with them if they become severe.




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Feeling overwhelmed

Sometimes caregiving problems build up to the point where you feel overwhelmed.

If this happens:

Try not to make important

decision while you are upset.

Sometimes you have to make a

decision immediately, but

usually you dont have to. Ask

how long before a decision

really has to be made.

Roger feels that he cannot make adecision right away. So he sets a laterdate to make the decision. This gives himtime to think about what he wants to doand he doesnt feel rushed into makingdecisions.

Take time to sort things out.

It is important to take some

time to let your thinking

become clear again. Different

people need different amounts

of time for this to happen. Give

yourself enough time to make

plans and decisions with a clear

mind and a more peaceful

spirit.

Claire feels upset at first. But she lets timepass until she doesnt feel upset. Then shecan think clearly about her problem anddevelop a plan to solve the problem.




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Talk over important

problems with people who are

feeling more objective.

If you are feeling very upset or

discouraged, then ask a friend,neighbor, or family member to

help. They can bring a calmer

perspective to the situation as

well as new ideas and help in

dealing with the problems you

are facing.

Sadie is talking to her friend Melonie about

her problems. Melonie has given Sadiegood advice in the past and she can seeSadies problems in new ways that helpsSadie think of new solutions.

Anger

There are plenty of reasons for you to become angry when you are giving care for a

long period of time. For example, the older person may, at times, be demandingand irritating. Friends, family members, or professionals may not be as helpful or

understanding as you would like. Some people feel angry because their lives have

been turned upside down by taking on caregiving responsibilities.

These feelings are normal! It is all right to feel this way at times. It is what you do

with your anger that is important. The best way to deal with angry feelings is to

recognize them, accept them, and find some way to express them appropriately.




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Here are some ways that other caregivers have dealt withtheir anger:

Try to see the situation from

the other persons point ofview. Recognize that other

people, including the person

you are caring for, are also

under stress. People react in

different ways to stressful

events in their lives.

Carol feels angry about what Cindy said toher. But then she pretends she is Cindy.This helps her understand why Cindy saidwhat she did. Carol then feels better aboutwhat happened.

At first Mary Lou felt a little bit angry. Butthe more she thought about it she gotmore and more angry until she wasthrowing dishes. This is wrong. Sheshould have expressed her anger earlierwhen she wasnt so very mad. Then shewould not do silly things like throwingdishes.

Express your anger in

appropriate ways before it is

out of control. If you wait,

your anger may lead to actions

and words that you may later

regret. Anger that is out of

control can cloud your

judgment.




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Find safe ways to expressyour anger. This can include

such things as beating on a

pillow, shouting by yourself, or

doing some hard exercise.

Sometimes it helps to ventilate

anger with someone who is

safe - who wont be offended

or strike back. Get away from

the situation for a while and try

to cool off before you go backand deal with what made you

angry.

Angela feels angry, but she gets rid of her

anger in safe ways such as hitting a pillow,imagining herself yelling, doing exercises,and talking to a friend who isunderstanding.

Tyrone is blaming himself for being angryabout his caregiving problems. But he isnot to blame. Caregiving is hard and it isnatural to feel angry sometimes.

Try not to feel guilty about

your anger. Anger is a natural

response to a difficult situation.

Most other people would

probably feel the same way if

they were in your shoes.




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Sally is talking to her friend Joyce aboutwhy she feels angry. Telling someoneelse about her feeling helps Sally tounderstand why she feels the way shedoes.

Talk to someone about why

you feel angry. Explaining toanother person why you feel

angry helps you to understand

the reasons for your anger and

why you reacted as you did.

Candice is talking to a counselor about herfeelings. The counselor helps Candiceunderstand why she feels the way shedoes and helps her think of ways to solveher problems

Talk to a counselor.

It often helps to talk to

someone removed from the

situation who can provide

support and an objective

viewpoint about your problems.




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Loss and sadness

You may feel sad because the person you know and love has changed. Memories

of how the older person used to be may make you sad. You may feel sad because

of losing normal things you did before this illness and because of plans that maynot be fulfilled. You may also feel burdened by the responsibilities you have to

bear alone. Here are some things you can do when you have these feelings:

Wilma is telling a friend about her feelingsof sadness. Her friend felt the same way

when she was a caregiver and this makesWilma feel better about her own feelings.

Talk about your feelings of

loss with other people who

have had similar experiences.

People who have been

caregivers of older persons will

usually understand how you

feel. Support groups are one

way to find people who have

had similar experiences and

who can understand and

appreciate your feelings.




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Shame

You may be embarrassed because the older person looks unusual or acts odd in

front of others. You may not know how to explain this to other people and you

may feel badly because you feel ashamed of your own family member.

These feelings are normal and common. Its all right to have these feelings. There

are several things you can do to deal with them.

Carol feels embarrassed about how herfather looks and acts. She talks to herfriend Shiela who says she felt the same

way about her Uncle. This helps Carolunderstand her own feelings.

Talk about your feelings with

someone else who has the

same problems. That person

will understand how you feel,

and telling them about your

problems will help put theminto perspective.

Cindy used to be embarrassed being with hergrandfather in public. But then she realizedthat she has a right to go where she wantswith her grandfather and, if that upsets other

people, that is their problem, not hers.

Remember that you have a

right to go into public with

your family. If other people

are uncomfortable with how

your family member looks, they

can go elsewhere.




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Here are some ways that other caregivers have dealt withshame:

When someone asks Millie about why herfather acts the way he does, Millieexplains that he likes to be different fromother people. This explanation helps other

people to be comfortable around herfather.

Develop a simple explanationfor why the older person acts

in a certain way. If someone

asks, then you can give an

explanation you are

comfortable with.



Dont assume that everyone

will be offended. Other caring

people will notice good things

about the older person and will

be understanding and

supportive.

Samantha thought other people would beupset by how her Uncle Phil behaved. Butthen she realized that most people werevery understanding and wanted to behelpful to him.


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Take small, gradual steps to become

more comfortable with the older

person in public. Start with people

you know well and who are

understanding. Invite them to visitand to be with you and the older

person. As you become comfortable

with friends, gradually go out in

public.

First Marjorie took her Aunt Millie to see her friend Jane. Then shetook her Aunt to meet several friends together. Later she and AuntMillie went together to meet strangers. By meeting more peopleslowly, both she and her Aunt felt more and more comfortable beingwith new people.

Guilt

Many people caring for an older person at home feel guilty at some time during

their caregiving. They may feel guilty because of not doing a better job of giving

care. They may feel guilty because they feel angry or upset with the person they

are caring for. Some people feel guilty almost out of habit. They have learned from

childhood to feel guilty when something goes wrong.

Although feeling guilty is understandable, it can interfere with doing the best

possible job of caregiving. Guilt makes you think only about what you did wrong,

while most problems have many causes and what you did is only part of the reasonfor the problem. To solve a problem, you have to look objectively at all of the

causes and then develop plans to deal with the whole problem.

Dwelling on guilt feelings will rob you of precious energy that you need to cope

with new problems.




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Here are some things you can do to deal with feelings of guilt:

Talk to other people who

have gone through similar

experiences about what

happened and how they felt.

It is often easier to see a

situation objectively when it

happens to someone else, and

this can give you perspective on

your own problems.

Theona expects herself to be perfect.This is wrong. No one can be perfectand we have to accept ourselves as good

people who sometimes make mistakes.

Charlie felt guilty about what he said to hisgrandmother until he talked with Angiewho said she also felt guilty about whatshe said to her aunt.. This helped Charliesee that his feelings were natural.

Dont expect yourself to beperfect. Expecting perfection

in yourself can cause guilt to be

a regular part of your life. It is

helpful to remember that you

are human, and therefore you

will make mistakes from time

to time.




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Here are another thing you can do to deal with feelings ofguilt:

Dont dwell on mistakes.

Accept mistakes and get

beyond them as best you can.

Forgive yourself for your

shortcomings.

Sonia thinks about her mistakes all the time.This is wrong. This stops her from solving her

problems.




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Carrying out and adjusting your plan

Mary and her mother areworking together to carryout their plans

Problems you might have carrying out your plan

Problem:

If I dont do it, it wont get done.

Response: It may not - but is it essential? Sort out things that really need to be

done. Its OK to let some things, like housework, slide a bit when you take on new

responsibilities.

Problem:

I hate to ask other people to help me.

Response: Start by asking for help with little things and notice how easy it is and

how much people enjoy helping. If asking makes you very uncomfortable, then get

someone else to ask for you.

Problem:

The person Im caring for doesnt want other people to help us.

Response: Suggest trying outside help for just a short time and thenyou can both talk over how it worked. Also, explain that you need

help.

Problem:

Im swamped with problems, so I dont have time to take care of my needs.

Response: This is the most common reason why caregivers become exhausted.

They become preoccupied with their caregiving problems and dont pay attention

to themselves. You will be a better caregiver in the long run if you get help with

caregiving so that you can do things that you enjoy and that you find relaxing.

Think of other problems you might have carrying out your plan

What other problems could get in the way of doing the things suggested in this

handout? For example, will the person cooperate? Will other people help? How

will you explain your needs to other people? Do you have the time and energy to

carry out the plan?




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Checking on progress

Veronica uses the ideas she learned inthis booklet on caregiving right away. Sheshould not wait until her problems aresevere. It is easier and better to use the

ideas before problems get out of hand.

Start using the ideas in this

handout now. Dont wait until

you feel overwhelmed. It is

easier to develop good

caregiving habits and attitudes

early before the problems get

out of hand.

Every week or so take time to think about how you are doing as a caregiver.

Re-read this booklet periodically to see if there are ideas here that can be of help.

What to do if your plan isnt working

Be realistic about what you expect of yourself. Dont expect to be perfect.

Everyone makes mistakes. Most plans need to be adjusted and changed as thecondition of the person you are caring for changes and your situation changes.

If you cannot do the things that are essential for the person you are caring for,

then consider getting help or moving him or her to an assisted living facility or

nursing home.




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When to get professional

help for yourself

Explain your needs

openly.

Choose your battles

carefully.

Involve the older person

in developing and

carrying out care plans.

Suggest a trial run or

a time limit when

trying new ideas.

You are feeling

moderate to severe

depression

You are feeling overwhelmed

Let the person you are

caring for make decisions

as much as possible.

Be realistic and flexible about

what you hope to communicate

and agree on.

What you can do to be

a supportive caregiver

You need information and

guidance about nursing

homes or other care settings




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Be clear about what

information you want.

Have all the

information health

professionals may need

when you call.

Work with health rofessionals

Be firm and

straightforward about

getting the

information and help

you need.


Schedule positive

experiences for yourself.Pay attention to your own

positive experiences.Be sure you get

enough rest.

Get help from others. Make a list of people who can give companionship and

support. Think about how you could make a visit (or a

phone call) pleasant and enjoyable for each person. Then

call or talk to each of them.




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Anger

Develop strategies for dealing with strong feelings

Talk over important

problems with people

who are feeling more

level-headed.

Try not to make

important decision while

you are upset.

Feeling overwhelmed

Take time to sort things

out.

Find safe ways

to express your

anger.

Express your anger in

appropriate ways before it

is out of control.

Try to see the situation

from the other persons

point of view.

Dont withdraw from family and

friends, especially as your work

increases.


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Talk to someone about

why you feel angry.

Try not to feel guilty

about your anger.

Talk to a counselor.

Feelings of loss and sadness

Talk about your feelings

of loss with other people

who have had similarexperiences.

Feelings of shame

Talk about your feelings

with someone else who

has the same problems.

Remember that you have

a right to go into public

with your family.

Develop a simple

explanation for why

the older person acts

in a certain way.




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Talk to other people who

have had the same

problems about what

happened and how they

Dont expect yourself to

be perfect.

Dont dwell on

mistakes.

Dont assume that

everyone will be

offended.

Take small, steps to become more comfortable with

the older person in public.

Feelings of guilt

Carrying out andadjusting your plan

Start using the ideas in this

booklet now. Dont wait until you

feel overwhelmed.




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The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA)Established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society, the AGS Foundation for Health in

Aging (FHA) builds a bridge between the research and practice of geriatrics health care

professionals and the public. FHA advocates on behalf of older adults and their special needs:

wellness and preventive care, self-responsibility and independence and connections to the family

and community through self-responsibility and independence and connections to the family and

community through public education, clinical research and public policy.

Eldercare At Home, Second EditionEldercare At Home is part of a comprehensive effort by the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging

to provide support and guidance to those of you caring for older people at home. The FHA has

created a series of Powerpoint slide presentations that cover each of the 27 chapters found in

Eldercare At Home. Accompanying each slide presentation is a fully illustrated handout that can

be used as handouts, or as stand-alone resources for caregivers who are dealing with only one or

two issues.

The major goal of this initiative is to makeEldercare at Home materials available to all

caregivers. To this end, the plain text version (without illustrations) ofEldercare at Home is

available free of charge online at www.healthinaging.org.

Eldercare at Home Workbook is also available for purchase through the FHA. Each of the

twenty-seven chapters in the Eldercare at Home books cover the most common problems that

family caregivers face. TheEldercare at Home Workbook can be used just as you would a

cookbook. Read a chapter before you start dealing with a specific problem just as you would

read a recipe before beginning to cook. Reading the chapter allows you to understand the

problem and take action before it becomes severe. Eldercare at Home can even help you to

prevent some problems from happening. It offers you advice on developing care plans, which

will give you a sense of purpose and hope in coping with the challenges of providing care.

For more information on Eldercare at Home, or the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging, visit

www.healthinaging.org, or call 1-800-563-4916.

The AGS Foundation for Health in AgingThe Empire State Building

350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 801

New York, NY 10118

Phone: 1-800-563-4916

Fax: 212-832-8646www.healthinaging.org
http://www.healthinaging.org/http://www.healthinaging.org/

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