As our Boomers and Sandwich Generation grow older, the problems of caring for a loved one plagued with dementia or Alzheimer?s disease is becoming more acute and challenging.
One of the major issues facing Boomers caring for an aged parent is finding a home caregiver for a family member.
A list of five critical steps to follow was given recently by Elaine Pereira, author of the award-wining book
I Will Never Forget: A Daughter?s Story of Her Mother?s Arduous and Humorous Journey through Dementia (ISBN 978-1-4759-0690-5, 2012, iUniverse, Paperback $20.95, Hardcover $30.95, Kindle $3.95, 274 pages available on Amazon or
http://www.IWillNeverForgetBook.com )
Pereira has a great deal of personal experience in dealing with her own family member and discusses this in her book and speaks about this to caregivers and medical professionals. Elaine was an occupational therapist for more than 35 years before retiring in June 2010.
?Finding a responsible in-home caregiver, or a reputable Home Care Facility, can be a difficult and delicate undertaking,? says Pereira, ?but it's critically important to follow these steps whether you use an agency or hire your own.?
? Make a list of your needs and be specific! Too often this is not well thought through or delineated. Do you need a driver to appointments? Someone to prepare meals? Do laundry because it's downstairs? How many hours and what days?
? Do a phone interview first with a potential client and discuss each item on your list with them. Make notes on their responses especially if you hear hesitations, perceive an atmosphere of unwillingness or get a gut feeling that one or more of your identified need areas is not palatable to them.
? Ask for references (from the agency or the individual) and follow up on every one. Sometimes a reference has reservations but doesn't want to jeopardize the opportunity for a former employee to get a job in a tight economic environment. Try this query: "Would you rehire (name) if you needed a caregiver in the future?
? Conduct a personal interview and include the individual to whom the care is going to be given if possible, so they can offer input about their potential caregiver.
? Chemistry. Sometimes your "gut feeling" is right on point. But, following up periodically is critically important also.
?Caring for a loved one who no longer knows who you are can be overwhelming and heartbreaking,? says Pereira, ?It?s a seemingly never-ending emotional journey of ups and downs for all involved in the caring of someone stricken with dementia. The financial cost is significant no doubt but the emotional toll it takes on family and caregivers can sometimes be debilitating in itself, and cannot begin to be measured in terms of money. Quality of home care is a challenge to overcome that is more important than money alone.?
I Will Never Forget is a powerful true story of the author's talented mother, Betty, and her poignant and sometimes humorous journey through dementia. As their mother-daughter relationship evolves, Elaine copes with her mom's uncharacteristic verbal assaults and watches as her brilliant mind is slowly destroyed by dementia's insatiable appetite for brain cells.
In this moving account, Pereira (pronounced purr-rare-a), shares warm and humorous incidents as well as tragic and overwhelming encounters from the death of her father, sister-in-law, brother and her mother?s journey through a new world after her familiar world fades from her memory.
Pereira?s book was named a finalist in the Best New Non-Fiction category of the 2012 USA Book Award and was an honorable mention finalist in non-fiction in the 2012 Hollywood Book Festival and was bestowed a ?Rising Star? and ?Editor?s Choice? award by iUniverse.
Says one reviewer, ?The author has given readers incredible insight into the insidious nature of dementia?a disease that robs us of our parents. Most importantly she has taken readers on her own journey down the road of dementia with a beloved parent offering sound advice to caregivers.?
About the Author Elaine Pereira was a school occupational therapist for more than 35 years before retiring in June 2010. When she isn?t writing, Elaine enjoys golf, gardening, cooking and exploring new restaurants with unique culinary options. A native of Kalamazoo, she now lives in New Boston, Michigan with her husband and loveable pets. Pereira earned a BS in Occupational Therapy and an MA in Family and Consumer Resources from Wayne State University.
Media Contact: For a review copy of I Will Never Forget, or to schedule an interview with Elaine Pereira, please contact Scott Lorenz, President of Westwind Communications
Book Marketing, 734-667-2090 or
scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or
http://www.book-marketing-expert.com