Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers [Paperback]

Rosalynn Carter (Author), Susan Golant M.A. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 1995

Having cared at home for her ailing father and grandfather, Rosalynn Carter's involvement has taught her that Americans are in the middle of a caregiving crisis. In this book, Mrs. Carter addresses the social issues that have created this crisis and offers practical solutions to the problems caregivers typically experience, such as isolation, burnout, anger, and helplessness.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

An estimated 25 million Americans are family caregivers, providing for the physical and psychological needs of older parents, chronically ill spouses, or children with disabilities. Caregiving can be a demanding yet fulfilling occupation but may leave caregivers feeling isolated and unprepared for their role. The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Human Development was created by the former First Lady to study the caregiving process and find new ways to assist caregivers. This book offers tips for dealing with health professionals, finding a support group (or starting one of your own), recognizing signs of caregiver burnout, and techniques to make life more satisfying for both caregiver and care recipient. While Carter's book is easy to read and filled with stories from family caregivers, the reassuring tone makes it more emotionally supportive than informational. Nonetheless, it deserves a spot in caregiver and consumer health collections. Appendixes include policy recommendations for improving caregiver services, lists of organizations, and books.
--Karen McNally Bensing, Benjamin Rose Inst. Lib., Cleveland
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Former First Lady Carter became interested in the problems of the elderly and the mentally ill during her husband's first gubernatorial campaign. Her work in the area since then, coupled with the work of the Rosalynn Carter Institute at Georgia Southwestern College, whose mission is "to understand the caregiving process and discover new ways to assist formal and informal caregivers," demonstrated the emerging societal need to care for chronically ill individuals. Focusing on the caregiver, Carter and coauthor Golant describe the stages the caregiver progresses through, from first facing the illness or declining health of a loved one to the "long-term, hard-work phase of caregiving." Questions regarding in-home professional care and nursing homes are addressed, and the authors provide information on strategies, support groups, program recommendations, helpful organizations, and books. Denise Perry Donavin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1st pbk. ed edition (December 26, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812925912
• ISBN-13: 978-0812925913
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,129,468 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Medical Books > Medicine > Home Care

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for caregivers facing long term care., August 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers (Paperback)

Mrs. Carter begins her book with the following statement: "There are only four kinds of people in this world: Those who have been caregivers * Those who currently are caregivers * Those who will be caregivers * Those who will need caregivers". The definition of who a caregiver is, that follows that statement, is one of the most succinct descriptions I have read. This is a book everyone facing the prospect of long term care with a loved one must read and possess. She talks about caregiving as a time honored tradition, that although inherent with great stress and isolation, nevertheless holds the possibility of satisfac-tion if positive attitudes are nurtured and support services and help are attained. No one can do it alone. She provides a list of places to start for information and planning when long term care becomes a challenge in your life. I highly recommend this reading.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I wish I had read this before, November 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers (Paperback)

I was a caregiver for a few years for my father and wish I had had a book like this then. If only I had known about all the resources out there that could have helped us! It also would surely have helped to know there were many others out there facing the same situation we were - the comments from caregivers in Georgia mirrored what I felt here in Pittsburgh. Caregiving is the same everywhere - we all have to cope with the same thing. For anyone who is or may ever be a caregiver, this book is a nice and simple read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful handbook of the day, February 12, 2003

By 

Evelyn D. Cruze "evwings" (Crescent City, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers (Paperback)

My five star rating for this book is because when it was published - and when I first read it - it was uptodate and a leader for resources. Very few books were written to give those who care for loved ones places to find answers. Most available books concentrated on specific conditions and the patients. Also at the time, the web didn't have the helpful, informative sites of today. Personally, I would love to see Mrs. Carter update the book to include the email adresses and web sites for the sources listed.

My mother had been having a series of TIA's when I found this book. Several months later she had a full fledged stroke. I was her main caregiver until she required full time skilled care outside the home. When she was hospitalized and then in a nursing home setting, I continued to be her medical surrogate. As such, I found this book not only a wealth of information, but also a great inspiration. Much of the encouragement and advice given, falls in line with the Hospice literature I received in the final month of my mother's life. It is important for caregivers to understand there are places to receive help to let them care for themselves besides the patient. It can all be so overwhelming to try to do it all and so unnecessary to be alone. Beyond that, the book helps to educate to be able to ask questions about medical, social, emotional, and economic issues to insure the best quality care.

This volume is filled with love and respect and I cannot recommend it enough. I even donated a copy to our local library.