Being the primary caregiver to a terminally ill relative can be stressful, exhausting and depressing. And yet, as Barbara Bernard explains in her book The Secret Gift: Growth in Times of Loss, being a primary caregiver has its benefits as well. Bernard speaks not from a detached academic perspective but rather from experience and from the heart. The Secret Gift tells of her journey through that difficult time. Bernard describes the care she gave to both parents and shares family stories and anecdotes in an effort to help people in similar circumstances. Bernard's easy writing style and comfortable prose quickly puts readers at ease, even as she reveals the heart-wrenching trials, and imaginative yet practical solutions, involved in caring for a terminally-ill patient. The Secret Gift is not limited to caregiving tips. Bernard also shares wonderful advice on how to mentally prepare for and cope during a time of such stress and grief. For example, "Focusing on joy makes pain recede, even if for a short time. Laughter and humor gave us respite from our pain." Many will benefit from reading The Secret Gift, including those who are primary caregivers, hospice and home healthcare workers, and anyone who has been a primary caregiver to a terminally ill person. All will find a sympathetic common bond and sage advice from this book. --BookWire Review, May 30, 2006
For families who are going through the experience of caring for a dying loved one, Bernard shares insights that can bring hope and comfort dur a time that is full of confusion and uncertainty. For those who want to reach out to others, The Secret Gift provides practical suggestions that answer the question: "Is there anything I can do?" For those who are health care providers, parish nurses involved in ministries of health, The Secret Gift is a reminder of why they are called to their vocation as well as how "just" being present and offering encouragement can make a huge difference for the dying and their families. The Secret Gift reveals how integrated our body mind and spirit truly are. --Linda Shepard, R.N. Parish Nurse Coordinator
Of the many books written about the lessons learned during personal experience with the mysteries of life and death, none are more powerful or wise than Bernard's The Secret Gift. Although all of us travel this road we often have little preparation for how to survive, much less thrive on the inevitable journey. --Donna M. Stephens, R.M., Med, CT
Product Description
The Secret Gift: Growth in Times of Loss is Barbara A. Bernard's wrenching experience of being thrust into the role of family caregiver when both her mother and father are diagnosed within four days of each other with life-threatening illness. The Secret Gift addresses the universal concerns of family caregivers who are seeking their own best answers to the questions of how to love, how to care for and how to say "goodbye" to a dying parent.
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