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The Good Caregiver

A One-of-a-Kind Compassionate Resource for Anyone Caring for an Aging Loved One
by Robert L., M.D. Kane
, with Jeannine Ouellette. The Good Caregiver: A One-of-a-Kind Compassionate Resource for Anyone Caring for an Aging Loved One. Avery: Penguin Group (USA). Mar. 2011. c.336p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781583334225. pap. $16. HEALTH
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Kane (director, Ctr. on Aging, Univ. of Minnesota), combining his years of professional experience with what he learned when he and his sister cared for their aging mother, has produced a thoughtful how-to manual. He shares clear and practical explorations of whether one is cut out to be a caregiver, and he tackles dealing with financial issues, finding the right doctor, what to expect in the way of physical and mental changes with aging, working with hospitals, choosing a nursing home, self-care for the caregiver, and, ultimately, dealing with death. Kane also discusses changes in the existing health-care system that he asserts would improve end-of-life care for all involved.
VERDICT Interspersed with anecdotes from other caregivers, numerous charts and checklists, and lists of resources, this is a carefully arranged collection of useful information, stressing the importance of being compassionate and nonjudgmental. Kane points out that the book's various sections can be used independently and in no particular order as each person enters into caregiving at a different point along the continuum, making it ideal for lay readers.
Reviewed by Dick Maxwell, Porter Adventist Hospital, Denver , Dec 01, 2010
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