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My Parent's Keeper: The Guilt, Grief, Guesswork, and Unexpected Gifts of Caregiving (Yale University Press Health & Wellness) Kindle Edition

by Jody Gastfriend (Author), Patrick J. Kennedy (Foreword, Contributor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 53
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“Unflinchingly tackles a complex aspect of eldercare in each chapter . . . an indispensable resource for family caregivers.”—Patrick O’Malley, author of Getting Grief Right
 
When it comes time to provide care for those who once cared for us, where can we turn? This book offers practical guidance for a broad range of caregiving situations when family caregivers assume their new role. My Parent’s Keeper . . .
 
·       Uses the latest research and draws on case histories and interviews.
·       Is a resource as well as a source of inspiration, with a blend of powerful stories and practical advice.
·       Helps caregivers cope with numerous challenges, including parents who need but refuse help; siblings who don’t get along; the complexity of healthcare systems; financial issues; juggling work and caregiving; the use of technology; the power of connecting with a loved one who has dementia; and realizing the benefits amid the burdens of caregiving.
 
“Jody Gastfriend has created the ultimate GPS for family caregivers. At once humane and helpful, personal and political, she charts the long, hard, and rewarding role that all of us will take caring for our families and each other. Don’t leave home without it!”—Ellen Goodman, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and founder of The Conversation Project
 
“My Parent's Keeper shines a light on the conundrum of caregiving—as adult children, our best intentions are insufficient to help our parents and ourselves. We need a plan in advance of need—this book offers up-to-date guideposts for this inevitable caregiving journey.”—Laurie M. Orlov, author of When Your Parents Need Elder Care: Lessons from the Front Lines
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  1. Part of series
    Yale University Press Health & Wellness
  2. Print length
    348 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Yale University Press
  6. Publication date
    May 22, 2018
  7. File size
    2703 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
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  10. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

My Parent’s Keeper by Jody Gastfriend was chosen as a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the Health/Wellness category
 

Honorable mention for the 2019 Educators Book Award, sponsored by The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International
 

"Jody Gastfriend has created the ultimate GPS for family caregivers. At once humane and helpful, personal and political, she charts the long, hard, and rewarding role that all of us will take caring for our families and each other. Don't leave home without it!"—Ellen Goodman, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and founder of The Conversation Project

“Jody Gastfriend unflinchingly tackles a complex aspect of eldercare in each chapter of My Parent’s Keeper. She has masterfully blended essential facts with exceptional psychological insight to create an indispensable resource for family caregivers.”—Patrick O’Malley, author of Getting Grief Right: Finding Your Story of Love in the Sorrow of Loss

“My Parent's Keeper shines a light on the conundrum of caregiving—as adult children, our best intentions are insufficient to help our parents and ourselves. We need a plan in advance of need—this book offers up-to-date guideposts for this inevitable caregiving journey."—Laurie M. Orlov, author of When Your Parents Need Elder Care: Lessons from the Front Lines

“Caregiving is a noble cause. The responsibilities are enormous. This book helps guide us through the pitfalls when one takes on this duty, which is both a curse and a blessing for the child caring for a parent.”—Harry Haroutunian, author of Being Sober and Not As Prescribed

“Jody Gastfriend’s use of humor and pathos without bitterness or self-pity makes this book an easy read. The tone is conversational—never condescending, never combative—even when describing the ‘maze’ that health care has become and the limitations of existing policies.”—Gary Kennedy, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

About the Author

Jody Gastfriend has been a social worker for more than thirty years and is vice president of senior care for Care.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for finding and managing family care.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07D1FQ9BD
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press; 1st edition (May 22, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 22, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2703 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 348 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 53

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
53 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Alan
5.0 out of 5 stars At Last, The Definitive Guide to Coping with Parental Dementia and Decline
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
As a caregiver's love and compassion are a gift to one facing declining health, Jody Gastfriend's book on the subject, "My Parent's Keeper" is a gift to those who are faced with providing physical, emotional and financial support to their aging loved one. Mrs. Gastfriend has reached deep within herself to provide us the benefit of her exhaustive knowledge of the subject matter, case studies of caregivers faced with a wide array of perplexing caregiving scenarios, and her personal insights having provided care for her aging parents over a prolonged period. Mrs. Gastfriend's takes particular aim on dealing with parental dementia, and she does so exquisitely.

Jody Gastfriend carefully and compassionately offers invaluable insight to help caregivers make the best decisions for both those they are caring for, as well as the care provider, herself or himself. It's hard to conceive of any scenario with regard to the declining health of parents, past, present, or future that Mrs. Gastfriend does not examine in her book, even discussing the possibility that in the future a degree of care may be provided by means of advancements in technology via robots.

Jody Gastfriend's book, "My Parent's Keeper" is a treasure to those of us called upon to deal with the aging and declining health of our parents. Thank you Mrs. Gastfriend for providing this guide as a road map of available health care alternatives to provide comfort for our aging parents while maintaining a life for ourselves.
5 people found this helpful
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Debbie MacInnis
5.0 out of 5 stars By far, the best book on Alzheimers and dementia
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
This highly readable book is a lifesaver for anyone caring for someone with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. The author has over 30 years of work with the elderly and has had personal experience with a family member who has suffered from this tragic disease. The coverage of the myriad personal, family, parental and caregiver issues that families and their loved ones face is spot on. Moreover, the author pinpoints the fear, sadness, anger, and anxiety associated with this disease in a way that deeply resonates with readers. At the same time, her book offers incredibly helpful information and advice to guide readers through not just the complexities of helping a loved one and their caregivers. Her advice is pragmatic, grounded in experience, and insightful. She also offers extremely helpful guidance on navigating complex and often confusing health care system. She also highlights resources (including employment resources) available to caregivers who are trying to manage both work and caregiving. Although helping a loved one with dementia can be difficult, the author also shows the gifts that one can realize in one's changing relationship with one's loved one and one's family. The topic of dementia is not fun. Yet the author writes in a style that makes this dark topic seem more relatable, sometimes with humor and always with compassion. I have seen a number of books on Alzheimers and dementia. This book is, hands down, the best on the market.
4 people found this helpful
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Robert A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
Caring for my father and mother has been a challenge, at best. This book helped me understand that I'm not alone in this experience. This books seems more suited for those with siblings; however as an only child, the stories were less relevant. The biggest take-a-way was the plethora of resources. There are a lot of websites and agencies to contact for information and support. That was HUGE for me.

One topic that resonated was the need to plan ahead. It would have been better for me to have read this prior to starting caregiving. It would have made things much, much easier for both me and my parents if we had come across this book sooner or before there was a need.

All in all, the book was well written. I highly recommend this to anyone who is or may end up as a caregiver.
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JD
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Overview of How Senior Care Works & What to Expect!
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2018
Verified Purchase
I've read several books on senior care and this is a MUST READ and much better than those self-help or books providing run-on checklists of what to do. This book is really helpful if you're either new to understanding the full senior care system or a care taker yourself. The author does an excellent job weaving in personal stories and accounts of people taking care of loved ones while explaining all the options available for aging and what to look for -- in-home care, independent retirement communities, assisted living, nursing homes, websites & agencies to look into, etc. It's really great even if you're trying to just better understand the elder care space or plan ahead for your parents. And the author covers it all in an entertaining, witty way. I now feel far more prepared to have the difficult conversations when that time comes. Highly recommend this!!
One person found this helpful
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Mary McDermott
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a steady and reliable companion for the caregiver’s unpredictable journey!
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2018
Verified Purchase
As a social worker myself, I thought I knew enough when it was time to care for my parent. Not true! I needed the wise counsel I found in this book. My mother’s cognition changed drastically in a short period of time. I often did not know what steps to take next. My Parent’s Keeper helped me get more comfortable with the guesswork of caregiving. I learned it was ok to make mistakes, in spite of best intentions. I learned it was ok not to have all the answers. While I was often on an emotional roller coaster, this book was a steady companion and reliable resource. Caring for a parent at the end of life is hard. It is also an intensely intimate act of love.
3 people found this helpful
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Wedeln
5.0 out of 5 stars Good guidance!
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book is very helpful for anyone embarking on elder care. It gives tips and recommendations on where to obtain additional information as we try our best to take care of our parents!
It’s a must read for all daughters and sons. It’s a how to book that helps explain the role of children as care takers.
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