7 Interesting Books for Caregivers of the Elderly

When caring for an elderly family member or other senior, you’re not going to turn down help. After all, caregiving comes with many time-consuming challenges and concerns, making it difficult to attend support groups or other stress-relief options.

That’s when a good book can come to the rescue. Reading the right book can not only help you find perspective but give you the information needed to care for the aged.

If you’re a caregiver in a retirement living facility or taking care of an elderly person, books on caregiving can offer valuable support and advice.

Must-Read Books for Caregivers

Providing care for aging adults is not easy. It requires that you juggle various responsibilities along with being patient and compassionate. As a result, these caregivers often don’t get time to rejuvenate or take a break. Books on caregiving can help by offering a new perspective and giving relevant, relatable information. Here are a few good books every caregiver should read.

1) Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Caregivers: 101 Stories of Love, Sacrifice, and Bonding by Joan Lunden and Amy Newmark

This book collects revealing stories to support and encourage family caregivers, no matter their age. They are filled with emotional support and practical advice through personal glimpses into the lives of other caregivers, including those taking care of family while raising kids. It also includes stories from those on the receiving end of care. These short, uplifting tales will inspire you, make you realize that you’re not alone, and give you the strength to take life one day at a time.

2) A Bittersweet Season: Caring for Our Aging Parent — and Ourselves by Jane Gross

This interesting book offers a combination of personal narrative and practical advice to people suddenly thrust into the caregiving role. Gross’s experience caring for her 85-year-old mother, the challenges of moving her to an assisted living facility, and adjusting to this new life taught her the valuable lessons she shares here.

3) The Conscious Caregiver: A Mindful Approach to Caring for Your Loved One Without Losing Yourself by Linda Abbit 

Being a caregiver is a challenging role that requires patience, hard work, and selflessness. Although caregiving is a rewarding experience and is a product of love, it can be emotionally and physically demanding which can lead to exhaustion and stress. As a result, sometimes caregivers forget to care for themselves. Written by a veteran caregiver, The Conscious Caregiver helps you fulfill the role of caregiver without losing yourself by teaching you how to stay healthy and sane.

4) Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir by Roz Chast

This #1 New York Times bestseller is a memoir (complete with cartoons) of the author’s struggles with her aging parents during their last years. Prepare to both laugh and cry. She offers both comfort and comic relief for those experiencing the role reversal of being an adult child having to look after parents, or enduring their life-altering loss.

5) When the Time Comes: Families with Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions by Paula Span

In this book, journalist Paula Span shares the resonant narratives of several families choosing different options to take care of aging adults. These include moving in with adult children, staying put with the help of relatives and helpers, entering a nursing home, moving to an assisted living facility, and getting hospice care. This book helps provide a perspective that they are doing a good job as a caregiver, even if they don’t feel that way most days. The stories of different families are revealing, informative, and give a sense of the emotional and practical factors that go into major caregiving decisions.

6) The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer’s Disease, Related Dementias, and Memory Loss by Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabbins

Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disease that affects millions worldwide, and the risk of developing it doubles every five years once you reach 65. If you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or any other type of dementia, this book is a must-read. It offers practical and specific advice to make care easier, improve quality of life, and lift the spirits of families dealing with dementia.

7) Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos into Confidence by Gail Sheehy

This book outlines nine crucial steps for effective family caregiving. The author talks about its challenges, including the negative effects it can have on caregivers. It also suggests ways to get through these challenges and find the strength to carry on. This truly motivational book is helpful for those caring for a loved one with chronic disease. It inspires them to stay positive, no matter what.

If you’re among the millions of caregivers in Canada, you have to take care of yourself in addition to providing much-needed love and care to aging adults. Reading a relevant book can make things a little easier by providing valuable information, useful advice, and lessons from the real-life experiences of other caregivers. To rejuvenate yourself and get the support you need from someone who has been in your shoes, try reading one or more of these books.