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Combining powerful personal stories with astute analysis and recommendations, "Always on Call" reveals the hidden struggles of the more than 25 million family caregivers in the United States. While family members have always provided care for one another, recent changes in health care have placed tremendous new responsibilities on them--responsibilities that, only a decade ago, were a routine part of hospital care. The prevalence of chronic rather than acute illness, trends toward shorter hospital stays, increased outpatient care, and limited insurance benefits for in-home care now leave family caregiving as the only option for many Americans.
This book, first published in 2000 and now substantially updated, presents an intimate look at the world of family caregiving. The compelling narratives by caregivers capture the intensity of the caregiving experience, while chapters by noted health care professionals, many of whom speak of their own experiences, analyze the impact of caregiving, urge more professional advocacy on behalf of caregivers, and offer insightful suggestions for building partnerships for change and fostering improvement. This second edition includes:
- caregiving as a workplace dilemma
- the added burdens of end-of-life caregiving
- clinician-family conflicts (and new approaches for resolving them)
- new federal and state policy initiatives
- resources for families and professionals
- a new section on innovative caregiving programs
- new chapter on the financial impact of caregiving
Designed for family caregivers, health professionals, administrators, pastoral care providers, policymakers, patient and caregiver advocates, and human resource professionals, "Always on Call" is an essential book for understanding the current realities of family caregiving. Equally important, it builds a compelling case for change.
A United Hospital Fund Book
"Always on Call... provides useful advice to anyone who ever has been or will be a family caregiver, and it adds insights and policy suggestions that should enrich the broader healthcare debate in this country." - Philadelphia Inquirer; "In bold and compassionate essays, caregivers, activists and physicians take on the current 'process of market-driven health care' and turn it inside out, offering resources for caregivers and practical ideas for momentous change." - Publishers Weekly"
| Foreword | |
| Introduction : the many worlds of family caregivers | p. 1 |
| First my mother, then my aunt : a caregiver's diary of Alzheimer's disease | p. 23 |
| A crisis of caregiving, a crisis of faith | p. 34 |
| Learning to be a caregiver, trying to be a brother | p. 45 |
| Pushing the boundaries in assisted living : failures in caring | p. 54 |
| Family caregiving : both sides now | p. 66 |
| Bringing up Alex : a parent becomes an advocate | p. 77 |
| The courage of caring | p. 87 |
| The loneliness of the long-term caregiver | p. 99 |
| From sadness to pride : seven common emotional experiences of caregiving | p. 111 |
| Caregiving and the workplace | p. 126 |
| The financial impact of caregiving | p. 136 |
| Social workers, the health care team, and caregiver advocacy | p. 149 |
| The trouble with families : toward an ethic of accommodation | p. 166 |
| 'Til death do us part : family caregiving at the end of life | p. 176 |
| Caregiving on the public policy agenda | p. 193 |
| The visiting doctors program : bringing care home | p. 208 |
| Windows to the heart : a family-centered hospital unit for dementia patients | p. 221 |
| Connecting caregivers through technology | p. 235 |
| On the quest for resources : a guide for caregivers and professionals | p. 253 |
| Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780826514608
ISBN-10: 082651460X
Series: United Hospital Fund Book S.
Audience:
Tertiary; University or College
Format:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 288
Published: 26th November 2004
Publisher: Vanderbilt University Press
Dimensions (cm): 22.9 x 15.2
x 2.5
Weight (kg): 0.558
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