The Comfort of Home for Chronic Heart Failure: A Guide for Caregivers [Paperback]

Maria M. Meyer (Author), RN Paula Derr (Author), Kay Kendall LISW (Contributor), RN Jennifer Reese BSN (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 16, 2008 | Series: The Comfort of Home

Chronic heart failure is a complex condition that causes the body to deteriorate. When a person is diagnosed with the problem, it s essential that they learn to pay closer attention to their health and make necessary changes to ensure a better quality of life. They can t do it alone, though, so the caregiver s guidance and support is crucial to the patient s ability to follow through with the doctor s treatment plan. The Comfort of Home for Chronic Heart Failure helps family members and professional caregivers provide the best at-home care possible. It offers an overview of the condition and its treatments and therapies, and then guides the caregiver through essential topics such as understanding the treatment plan, setting up the home for optimal ease and mobility, equipment, diet and nutrition, moving or positioning the patient, daily activities, and end-of-life care. A chapter on caregiver burnout contains tips and coping strategies to prevent this all-too common condition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book is a unique resource for individuals who care for patients with chronic heart failure. It is packed with solid advice and practical tips for caregivers on how to take care of patients and themselves. It is written with passion and affection by individuals whose commitment and dedication to patients are evident on every page. It is an essential guide for anyone who cares for someone with chronic heart failure. --Steven E. Nissen MD MACC Chairman, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine,Cleveland Clinic Foundation

The Comfort of Home for Chronic Heart Failure is a must-have for the over 5 million families (in the United States alone) dealing with this major disorder. Many books have been written about heart failure for physicians, nurses and other health care providers. A few have been written for the heart failure patients themselves. This is the first to be written specifically for the caregiver-- until now, the 'silent partner' in the war on this deadly disorder. This book is wonderfully written with detailed explanations and discussions as well as quick read; points on each page to make reading more educational and fun. While the book is targeted to the caregivers, it is a must-read for health care providers as well, providing details about home care, financial resources and end-of-life planning not available in the existing medical textbooks. It will forever occupy a key spot on my office bookshelf. --David O. Taylor, M.D., FACC , Director, Heart Failure Special Care Unit,Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Advances in technology and medical therapies have significantly improved the lives of patients with heart failure. But day to day it is the day to day simple measures that can matter most. The Comfort of Home for Chronic Heart Failure is an invaluable compendium of useful and practical information to help patients and their caregivers manage chronic heart failure. The ideas and helpful hints go beyond heart failure care making this book a useful resource for any family dealing with a chronic medical condition. --Nicholas Smedira, MD, Cardiac Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic

About the Author

Kay Kendall, MSW, LISW, ACSW, has been a licensed, clinical social worker for over 30 years. For the first 15 years of her career, she provided individual, marital, and family counseling in a variety of settings. In 1989, Kay began working at the Cleveland Clinic with cardiac patients and their families. As a member of the Cleveland Clinic Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Team, Kay provides ongoing counseling and support to both patients and their families. Through daily contact, she counsels patients and their families as they adjust and adapt to managing a chronic medical condition. Through the years she has spent in the hospital setting, Kay has come to recognize the significance of the caregiver in the treatment process, and the role of the patient and their family in disease management, and outcome. Kay has published articles on the quality of life of patients with heart failure, the stages and process through which patients adjust to illness, and ways to improve compliance with medical recommendations. She has also presented at national and international conferences. Kay served for five years as the President of the Society for Transplant Social Workers, and she remains active on their executive board. Jennifer Reese, RN, BSN, has been employed by the Cleveland Clinic for the past 10 years. After graduating from nursing school, her focus has been in cardiac care. She started her career in the cardiac intensive care units, before joining the Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Team. As a member of this team she provides ongoing care and education for both the heart failure and heart transplant patients and their families. She has been involved in several task forces and committees at the Cleveland Clinic to help improve the quality of care that both patients and their families receive. Jennifer has presented at several national conferences and provides educational lectures to other community hospitals and facilities on the care of both the heart failure and heart transplant patient.

Product Details

• Paperback: 290 pages
• Publisher: CareTrust Publications; 1 edition (December 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978790332
• ISBN-13: 978-0978790332
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,027,298 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)