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when caregiving calls book about caregiving

When Caregiving Calls:

Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative

Among the best books on caregiving, When Caregiving Calls is an invitation to a deep conversation about caregiving and its meaning for you, the family caregiver.

About the Book

Caring for a parent, spouse, or aging relative is one of the noblest human activities. It’s also one of the most stressful, posing challenges that can be painful, confusing, and deeply rewarding — sometimes all at once.

When Caregiving Calls is an invitation to a deep conversation about caregiving and its meaning for you.

In these eighteen brief and thoughtful chapters, you will:

  • Explore how caregiving reshapes your family relationships and stresses your ability to manage your time, energy, and emotions.
  • See how a loved one’s changing state can lead to growing vulnerability, need, and loneliness on the part of care receiver and caregiver alike.
  • Read true stories that vividly capture the daily realities of caregiving.
  • Engage in questions for reflection to evaluate the impact caregiving is having on you personally and prioritize things you can change.
  • Receive candid, practical advice that helps you cope with the challenges you face as a family caregiver.

Mom's Choice Awards: Gold Medal

Mom’s Choice Awards: Gold Medal Winner!

The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for children, families and educators. The program is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. The organization is based in the United States and has reviewed thousands of items from more than 60 countries.

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Independent Publisher Book Awards: Bronze Medal Winner!

Each year since 1996, the Independent Publisher Book Awards have identified a reading list of progressive, thought-provoking books, the kind that can touch lives, advance careers, and stretch our imaginations. It’s an honor to be recognized!

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Best Indie Book Award: Gold Medal Winner!

The annual Best Indie Book Award is an international literary award contest recognizing outstanding achievement by independent authors. Entries are limited to independently (indie) published books, including those from small presses, e-book publishers, and self-published authors.

With a warm, empathetic tone, home care consultant Blight guides readers down the often-rocky path of caring for a disabled, aging, or dying relative or friend…

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Read the full review on BookLife Reviews, which indicates this book is an “Editor’s Pick”!

He continuously reassures the caregiver, especially when he talks about the “rewards” of the role. In this respect, Blight is both educator and cheerleader. His intimate knowledge of caregiving — how it affects the two principals — makes this a valuable resource.

Candid, compassionate, and comforting caregiving advice.

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Read the full review on Kirkus Reviews »

Don't take our word for it...

100 Best Aging Parents Books of All Time – BookAuthority identifies and rates the best books in the world, based on recommendations by thought leaders and experts.

Speaking as a caregiver who was listening to this book, I found it very encouraging as I listened to his kind voice and hopeful words.

Senior Resource Guide Texas added When Caregiving Calls to their list of “Must Read Books to Help You Navigate Your Caregiving Journey.”

North Central Region Aging Network added When Caregiving Calls to their “reading resources” list talking about adult sibling relationships in your caregiving journey.

Having issues within your caregiving situation?

Download the Caregiving Kinetics Emotions Worksheet. To help you explore how caregiving has emotionally impacted you, take a few moments to participate in this exercise.

Caregivers experience a wide range of emotions. This emotional self-assessment tool can help you see how you’re doing.

Emotions Worksheet

A 2020 research report from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that 53 million adults served as caregivers to aging or disabled loved ones during the last year. That’s about 21 percent of the adult population in the United States, and those numbers are growing. Family caregivers come from all walks of life. Family caregiving cuts across race, sex, religion, national origin, Millennials, Baby Boomers, and the rest of the social identities that pervade our media today.

At the same time, family caregivers may feel as if they are almost invisible because their needs are often overlooked. Their sacrifices are significant. Their lives can be transformed in unanticipated ways while they care for their loved one.

“Over the past twenty years, I have been a family caregiver, I have supported family caregivers, and I have studied caregiving as a phenomenon of social science,” Dr. Blight said. “I wrote When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative to help family caregivers by validating their experiences and guiding them through their individual care-related circumstances.”

The book is written in an easy, conversational style, and it contains chapters addressing the physical, mental, relationship, and emotional realities of caregiving. Each chapter concludes with questions prompting the caregiver to reflect upon the material and write about his or her personal caregiving experience. At the end of the book, the caregiver is invited to review what has been learned and create prioritized action steps for the future.

“When caregivers do better, care receivers also do better,” Dr. Blight observed. “I hope this book benefits you and your loved one.”

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