Caregiving Tips A-Z: Everything You Need to Know to Care for Your Loved One at Home!

by Starr Calo-Oy, Bob Calo-Oy (With), Jacqueline Marcell (Foreword by)

Overview

Everything you need to know to take care of your loved one at home!

You can do it! Our homecare manual provides you with over 1200 excellent caregiving tips and suggestions to make your life easier. Written in a down-to-earth, non-clinical language, you will have no problem implementing the basic elements in your daily routine.

Whether you are caring for a parent, spouse or residents in your home, this ready-reference guidebook will give you peace of mind in knowing that solutions are at your fingertips.

• Easy reading - readily understood
• Simplified table of contents
• Grooming, cleaning, organizing & playing tips
• Practical, hands-on advice
• Suggestions for caregiver burn-out
• How to enlist the support of your relatives
• Colorfully illustrated by Dr. Charles A. Belfi

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780975319529
Publisher:	Orchard Publications
Publication date:	02/28/2008
Pages:	427
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Bob & Starr Calo-oy were both born and raised in San Antonio and have been joyfully married for 27 years. From 1989 to 2006, they owned and operated a personal care home specializing in the care of terminally ill patients and victims of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in their San Antonio home. They also cared for the well-minded elderly who could no longer care for themselves at home.
In addition to caring for the elderly in their home, they have given in-service training for doctors, nurses, the staffs of hospices and home health agencies, sharing tips and unique ideas for caring for people with dementia. Starr also gives private consultations to individuals on how to start and operate a successful personal care home as well as helping family caregivers set up their home for care.
She is a columnist for SAWorship.com as well as an occasional freelance writer for the San Antonio Express-News. Starr & Bob host a one-hour live, radio talk show for caregivers every Saturday morning.
In April 2004, they released their first book, "The Caring Caregivers Guide to Dealing with Guilt", about their experiences over 18 years of operating their personal care home. This book is about the undeserved guilt families experience when they turn the care of their loved ones over to someone else. However, if the family desires to care for their loved one in their own home, it provides tips and directions to help them. It was written so that the medical field can benefit by empathizing while at the same time making it easy for the non-medical professional to easily understand its content.
In November 2006, they released "Hospice Care at Home/ A guide to caring for yourdying loved one at home." This book provides the family caregiver with all the information necessary to keep their loved one in their home through death rather than sending them to a more institutional setting. It has sold over 2,000 copies over the past few months and is on its way to becoming a best seller. This book is now available in Spanish also.
In January 2008, they released 2 books:

? "Caregiving Tips A-Z, Alzheimer's & Other Dementias"
? "Caregiving Tips A-Z."

All of their books will be available in Spanish by May 2008.
Starr and Bob published their own monthly, 26-page tabloid newspaper, the TELESTARR, which was circulated throughout South Texas city, county and state agencies for eight years.
Presently, they counsel couples to help them to develop a more meaningful relationship and better communication skills.
They have also written a series of 7 booklets to help the family caregiver, having to do with the different dilemmas that they face while caring for their loved one. These are available on their website.
In September, 2007, they started the non-profit organization, Caregivers Support Network, through which they will begin teaching free caregiving classes in March 2008 which will be open to the public.
Starr and Bob speak at conventions, seminars, civic clubs, and health care facilities, do book signings at Barnes & Noble's all over Texas, and make television and radio appearances.

Table of Contents

Foreword   Jacqueline Marcell
Acknowledgements
Introduction     1
Portrait of a Hero; Daughter, Elva Garza (of thee I sing)     5
A is for Activities & Recreation     13
Church     17
DVD's & Music     18
Family parties     19
Games     22
Hobbies     24
Outings     25
Reading material     26
Sports     28
Travel     29
Tutors     31
B is for Behavioral/Physical Changes     35
Anger     40
Depression     44
Speech & vision     48
Swollen feet or ankles     48
Dizziness or fainting     48
Urinary or bowel problems     49
C is for Communication     51
Loneliness     56
The almost lost art of listening     59
Patience     61
Non-verbal communication     62
Physical problems that affect communication     64
D is for Diapers     69
Changing adult diapers     72
Diaper rash Tips     76
E is for Eating     79
The appestat     82
When he will not eat     83
Finger foods     88
Malnutrition & Dehydration     89
F is for Family     93
The Taffy Trap     97
Caregiving and your marriage     102
Caregiving and your siblings     108
The family gathering     111
Caregiving and your children     114
G is for Grooming     119
Bathing     120
Hair care     126
Nail care     128
Oral care     129
Shaving     132
H is for Home Set-Up     137
"The" conversation     141
Safety precautions     147
Bedroom     150
Bathroom     154
Kitchen     155
Accommodations for spouse     156
I is for Illnesses     159
Constipation & Diarrhea     162
Diabetes     164
Fever     165
Medication     165
Pain     168
Pneumonia & Other Breathing Problems     170
Swelling     171
Vomiting     172
J is for Job/Career     175
Family and Medical Leave Act      178
Stages the family goes through     181
An Alternative to Consider     189
K is for Keys     193
How to get them back!     199
L is for Life Stories     205
How to film & preserve a life story     208
Unforgettable     211
M is for Medical Personell     223
Doctors     226
Hospital stays     237
Hospice Nurses     240
Home health aides     243
N is for Nursing Home Selection & Alternate Living Accommodations     247
Nursing Home Checklist     251
Independent Living Facilities     255
Assisted Living Facilities     255
Personal Care Homes     256
End of Life Care     259
O is for Outside Help     263
Adult Day Care     266
Church Senior Ministries     267
Hiring & Managing     267
Respite Care     270
Senior Citizen Centers     270
Trading with other caregivers     271
Volunteers     271
P is for Paperwork     275
Discovering & locating important documents     281
Your file system     284
Q is for Questions     291
R is for Role Changes     299
Adult Child Role Changes     303
Spousal Role Changes     308
S is for Skincare     311
Pressure sores     314
Dry skin     318
Bruising     319
T is for Transportation     321
How to transfer the non-ambulatory     324
Public elderly transportation; Door-to-door     326
U is for Unconditional Love     329
"I'm loving her but she isn't feeling it!"     334
"I haven't had any love all Day!"     335
How to Show Your Love     336
V is for Visitations     341
Family & Friends visitations     345
W is for Walking     355
Shoes & apparel     357
Hydration     358
X is for X-Rated     363
Young love     367
Y is for You-the Caregiver     373
Caregiver Burnout     376
Depression & Isolation     386
Caregiver illness & death     391
Your anger     394
Z is for ZZZZ's (Yours & Theirs)     405
The Family Caregiver's Sleep     408
Sleeping Tips for Your Lo     410
Index     414
About the Authors     426