When Someone You Loveﾽ FROM THE PUBLISHER
From two distinguished psychologists—the only all-in-one, bottom-line, no-nonsense guide with practical advice about all aspects of nursing home care (medical, psychological, legal, and financial) to help spouses, siblings, and adult children negotiate the complexities of today's nursing home jungle. Written specifically for the adult child of aging parents and for the older adult whose spouse or sibling may need to spend time in a nursing home, this book guides readers gently but firmly through the entire caregiving and placement-seeking process, from the earliest stages of illness onset, through the nursing home experience, and beyond. Conversational in tone and meticulously organized, When Someone You Love Needs Nursing Home Care is a fact-based, interactive, user-friendly guide to the complex issues that can confront the person whose ill or aging family member can no longer make it on their own. Twelve chapters cover the full range of concerns, including: Recognizing signs and symptoms; in-home care; when in-home care becomes impossible; choosing the right placement setting; preparations to leave home; adjusting to the new situation; nursing home politics; late-life medical problems and how to deal with them; problem behaviors; transitions back home; hospices; caregivers survival. Phone and Internet information is provided throughout the book, with emphasis on the Internet for its 24-hour accessibility.
Author Biography: Robert F. Bornstein, currently Professor of Psychology at Gettysburg College, has published more than 100 articles and 30 book chapters on psychological diagnosis, testing, and treatment. His research has been funded by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Science Foundation. He works and lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Mary A. Languirand co-authored The Thinking Skills Workbook, a pioneering treatment manual for cognitive remediation in older adults, as an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts, in the 1970s. Now in full-time private practice in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she resides, Dr. Languirand continues to provide direct service to older adults and their families, as well as offering consultation and training to mental health professionals.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
Most people's nursing home experiences begin when a parent, other relative, or older spouse needs long-term care after an illness or injury. With little knowledge of nursing home services and culture, families must choose a facility, make financial decisions, and help their family member create a new life in unfamiliar surroundings often under the pressure of an imminent hospital discharge. As psychologists specializing in geriatric care, Bornstein (Gettysburg Coll.) and Languirand cover basics found in similar guides placement options, facility selection criteria, and Medicare and Medicaid coverage while also providing checklists, worksheets, and resource lists. Equally important are the emotional reactions of the older person and the family to nursing home placement, and much of this book is devoted to adjusting to nursing home routines, getting along with roommates, interacting with staff (accompanied by a "who's who" guide to staff responsibilities), planning pleasant visits, understanding caregiver guilt, and similar concerns affecting the quality of everyday nursing home life. A host of practical tips covers essential details not often discussed elsewhere. Informative and readable, with touches of appropriate humor to lighten what can be difficult subjects, this book deserves a place on all public library shelves. Karen McNally Bensing, Benjamin Rose Inst. Lib., Cleveland Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
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