The Comfort of Home: A Complete Guide for Home Caregivers

by Maria M. Meyer, Paula Derr

Burnout — the complete drain of physical, spiritual, and emotional reserves — occurs when a caregiver slips into exhaustion or depression. More and more frequently, the responsibility of caring for the chronically ill child, the disabled spouse, or the aging parent falls on a family member. From the decision to be a caregiver to dealing with day-to-day activities, this guide provides help with every aspect of home care. Also included in this edition are a checklist of tasks, a chapter on self-care and avoiding caregiver burnout, a glossary, and list of helpful resources.

385 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1998

Reviews

[Matthew Gatheringwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although not as technical as instruction aides for professional caregivers, this clearly-written book is perfect for family members caring for a seriously ill person at home. I will definitely be recommending this book to my clients and I've already reproduced some of the helpful forms and checklists in the book to use in my work.

The Comfort of Home is a practical guidebook that starts with a realistic assessment of whether or not home care is possible. If it is, then the subsequent chapters will tell you how to make your home safe and accessible, how to get outside help, and how to perform activities of daily living for your loved one. If you are caring for someone who is not going to recover from their illness, later chapters describe hospice options and what to do after someone has died.

The book is printed in larger type with clear black-and-white illustrations. It has a helpful index and glossary, and it is full of resources for additional information. There is plenty here to help a caregiver to cope. It would also be a great resource for religious organizations with committees to care for sick people in the congregation