The Caregiver's Survival Handbook: How to Care for Your Aging Parent Without Losing Yourself

Abramson directs this sourcebook at""caregivers at both ends of the spectrum,"" so whether readers are occasionally helping their parents balance their checkbook or are regularly bathing, feeding and dressing elderly family members, they'll find valuable advice in this volume. The author, an aging expert who frequently appears on the Today Show, covers a lot of ground, and does a better job with certain subjects than others. Her advice on healthcare issues--from making sure those over 65 get enough calcium to paying for prescription drugs--is sound, if sometimes basic. And for particular afflictions (e.g., Alzheimer's, dexterity problems), readers may want something more specific. But Abramson excels when she addresses the guilt, frustration, anger, fatigue and burnout that befall many women (this book's primary intended audience) when they're caught between caring for parents, children, maintaining a home and pursuing a career. She includes advice and anecdotes from women going through such travails, and their stories, coupled with Abramson's soothing, compassionate advice, are sure to bolster the sense of self of many adults who are dealing with caring for their aging parents.