Share My Lonesome Valley: The Slow Grief of Long-Term Care

by Doug Manning

ALS, Alzheimer's Disease, AIDS, cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's disease. . .the list of terminal or debilitating illnesses goes on. The one thing that all of these diseases have in common is that almost every patient has a person who is acting as a primary caregiver. Long-term care means the caregiver is busy, overwhelmed and tired with very little opportunity to realize or reconcile the gradual losses that take place. This takes a toll on the caregiver, the family and the patient. Doug outlines the dangers and issues and gently provides opportunities for the caregiver to deal with the "quiet sorrows" that make this type of caregiving a difficult task.

113 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1999

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the more helpful books I've read on the emotional aspects of giving long term care. It is brief, but it covers the experience of grief. Yes, you can grieve for someone before they die, and that grief lingers without one being able to find closure. This helps one understand the situation and reflect on one's choices. I would recommend it to others who are coping with care-giving. The style is conversational, so it is like chatting with a receptive, wise friend over coffee.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

helpful in dissecting and validating the emotions for those in care taking roles for their family members.

[Allen Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is the first one I have given 5 stars. Very practical wise advise. If you are going through it, you need this book. If you are not, you probably know someone who is. They need it. Get it for them. But read it first so you can learn how you can be more helpful to them.