If I Walked In Her Shoes [Paperback]

Susan Salach (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 19, 2008

Ephesians 6:2-3 (NIV) exhorts us: "'Honor your father and mother.'" However, what happens when the commitment to honoring our parent's leads us to feel guilty or make poor decisions based on self-reproach or lack of information and resources? Having acknowledged that, there is something-someone-else we need to consider. It is the other perspective: that of the aging loved one who begins to need more care. What is it like to suddenly become dependent on others? If I Walked In Her Shoes shares a firsthand look at these dynamics by inviting you to view one day from two very different perspectives: Rose, the elderly mother in need of care and Sara, the dutiful caregiving daughter. Rose and Sara exemplify the issues faced by families trying to care for an aging loved one. You will experience their struggles, triumphs, and the underlying love that is the foundation of their relationship. A pioneering author and speaker on caregiving and aging issues, author and national speaker Sue Salach utilizes her personal and professional experiences to educate and empower family caregivers, healthcare and business professionals. Her unique writing style and profound, honest message has brought her to the forefront of the caregiving and aging field. Along with her writing and speaking, Sue works full time in the geriatric health care field and is the executive editor of Chicago and Los Angeles CAREgiver Magazine. Sue is most noted for her caregiver resource guide Along Comes Grandpa, Caregiving Resources for People in the Real World, which shares her story of caring for her grandfather and realistic tips for family caregivers as they maneuver through their caregiving journey. Sue lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband Rev. Paul Cutler and her 4 dogs. For more information on programs and resources visit www.salachseniorservices.com or email [e-mail]

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Xulon Press; 1st edition (August 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1606476130
• ISBN-13: 978-1606476130
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,897,001 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sue Salach has worked in the geriatric healthcare field for close to 20 years and is the Author of "Along Comes Grandpa", a caregiving resource guide, and the novel "If I Walked in Her Shoes" (http://www.AlongComesGrandpa.com). As a National Speaker, Sue utilizes her personal and professional experiences to educate and empower professionals on the work/life affects of caregiving. As CEO of AgingInfoUSA she partners with companies to evaluate the cost of employee caregiving on their bottom line and implement cost effective solutions. Sue was the 2010 recipient of the YWCA Marguerite Henry Leadership Award for Communications/Technology and the Influential Women in Business Award from the Business Ledger and NAWBO. AgingInfoUSA received the 2010 Excellence in Business Award from the Business Ledger and was nominated for the Chicago Innovation Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Maneuvering Through Caregiving Relationships, January 18, 2009

By 

Richard R. Blake (Bridgman, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: If I Walked In Her Shoes (Hardcover)

"If I Walked in her Shoes" is a fictional account of the struggles, small victories, and the underlying love that reinforce relationships. Susan Salach has carefully created a composite of characters made up of real people from her personal and professional experiences. These characters are easy to identify with, and exemplify the dynamics of the issues considered and the experiences described within the story.

The novel introduces Sara, a successful corporate executive, happily married, mother of two, who suddenly becomes caregiver for her elderly mother, Rose. Recently widowed, and independent Rose lived in the family home of over 50 years until a serious fall resulted in hip surgery, slow recovery and declining health and progressive dependence on Sara.

Rose and Sara are typical of the elderly parent needing care and the dutiful daughter trying to meet the multiple demands of caregiving, a growing family, and a flourishing career. Feelings of guilt, self-reproach, lack of sleep, and trying to accomplish all types of minutia overwhelm Sara has she feels her world crumbling around her.

Excruciating pain, loss of independence, and no social outlet have turned Rose from an effervescent self-sufficient person to a depressed, bitter, demanding recluse.

"If I Walked in her Shoes" invites the reader to view one day from the two perspectives, Rose, demanding and lonely, and Sara, overwhelmed and defensive. The question considered from the two viewpoints asks, "What is it like to be in the others shoes?"

Susan Salach dramatically helps her characters come to grips with the importance of the foundation of family love as the basis for an ongoing bonding relationship in times of crisis and changing roles.

Susan Salach's writing is strong, her characters real, and her plot is believable. Introspective, informative, inspirational, and heart searching describe this beautiful tribute to caregivers everywhere.

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent concept and execution..., September 23, 2011

By 

Tina Purcell Schwartz "Tina P." (Chicago, Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: If I Walked In Her Shoes (Paperback)

Sue Salach has brought up a wonderful concept of considering what the other person thinks and feels like when an adult child must care for her aging parent. If everyone would take the time to ask themselves "If I walked in her shoes..." there would be a lot more empathy for each other and what other people have to go through in such a tough situation.

I've only read half of the book so far, but can't put it down. Salach has a great "voice" as we feel we know the characters personally. I would recommend this to any caregivers, or adults struggling with tough decisions regarding aging parents.

Great job!! :)