When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative

by Aaron Blight

WINNER--2020 Best Indie Book Awards, Caregiving “Expert Aaron Blight explores the daily realities of caregiving and offers candid, practical advice to help family caregivers cope with their many challenges. . . . This outstanding guide will be a lifesaver for anyone saddled with these immense responsibilities and seeking peace of mind.”— BookLife Reviews (Editor’s Pick) "Candid, compassionate, and comforting caregiving advice."— Kirkus Reviews Caring for a parent, spouse, or relative who cannot care for themselves due to age, infirmity, or illness is one of the noblest human activities. It’s also one of the most stressful, posing challenges that can be painful, confusing, frustrating, and deeply rewarding—sometimes all at once. When Caregiving Calls is an invitation to a deep conversation about caregiving and its meaning for you. Aaron Blight has lived the caregiving experience many ways—as a family caregiver for a mother-in-law struggling with a brain tumor and cancer as they stole her mental clarity and ultimately her life; as the owner of a home care company that supported thousands of families living their own versions of the same journey; and as a researcher, lecturer, and consultant traveling the world to learn from family caregivers and their professional helpers. Now he shares his insights in eighteen brief, thoughtful chapters that examine the many facets of caregiving. He explores how caregiving reshapes family relationships, challenges comfortable assumptions, and stresses your ability to manage your time, energy, and emotions. He shows how the changing mental and physical state of a loved one can lead to growing vulnerability, need, and loneliness on the part of care receiver and caregiver alike. He shares stories—poignant, funny, and often inspiring—that vividly capture the unique daily realities of the caregiving life. And he offers candid, practical advice that can help family caregivers do a better job of coping with the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual challenges they face. “This book is an important road map from one who has journeyed as both a family caregiver and a professional caregiver. His guidance can help others have the best chance to survive and maybe even thrive while carrying the burden of caregiving.”—Martin J. Schreiber, former Governor of Wisconsin and author of My Two Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver "This easy-to-read book provides family caregivers with valuable insights, guidance, and affirmation that reflect empathy and respect for their role. Dr. Blight’s poignant stories will help both family caregivers and the professionals and other family members who support them."—Rhonda J. V. Montgomery, PhD, internationally recognized expert on family caregiving "No family caregiver should be without this book. In clear and concise chapters, it covers all the topics caregivers need to understand the journey they are on and provides a reference source to be revisited again and again.”—Robert Mastrogiovanni, President, Well Spouse Association “ When Caregiving Calls is written with passion and wisdom. Aaron Blight provides us with reassurance and hope as we better understand the role of caregiver. Personal and professional caregivers, this a must-read!”—Jennifer T. Martin, RN, certified hospice and palliative nurse, Chief Nursing Officer, Blue Ridge Hospice “ When Caregiving Calls is a masterpiece—a well-written book that highlights the author’s personal experience of caring for a loved one, which was a changing point in his life. Readers of every background all over the world can learn a lot from Aaron Blight’s captivating work.”—Charles Senessie, MD, MSc, PhD, Founder and President, Afro-European Medical and Research Network

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

236 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2020

About the author

Aaron Blight, Ed.D., is an international speaker and consultant on caregiving, aging, and healthcare. He is the founder of Caregiving Kinetics and has been recognized as a Top 100 Healthcare Leader by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare.

Aaron’s passion for supporting caregivers is rooted in his personal experience as a family caregiver; his professional background as the owner of a large home care company and as a leader at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and his study of caregiving as a phenomenon of social science.

Aaron serves as an adjunct professor at Shenandoah University, an honorary board member of the Well Spouse Association, and an advisory board member of the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging.

He holds a doctorate degree from The George Washington University, a master’s degree from the University of Baltimore, and a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University.

Aaron and his wife, Jessica, live outside of Washington, D.C., in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. They have four children and two grandchildren.

Aaron enjoys exercise, music, travel, cats, and ice cream.

Reviews

[Martin Denton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very helpful for someone who is going through the experience of providing care to an elderly family member. There is a lot of excellent information and lots of resources provided to help you learn more about how to manage this experience and become more adept and skillful.

What's best for me about the book is that it provided an outlet for the stresses and anxieties inherent in taking on the caregiving role. The author encourages readers to keep a kind of journal as they progress through the book; I did and it was enormously helpful.

What I was a bit dismayed about with the book is that I never saw one example of a caregiver who was like me -- e.g., a son who is caring for his elderly mother. The author seems to believe that only daughters have to handle this kind of responsibility. It would have been nice to see myself a bit more clearly and directly in this otherwise fine and quite useful work!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great resource for caregivers. The author offers practical advice and poses thoughtful questions to help caregivers navigate the changing relationships with their loved ones. He understands and conveys the challenges of caregiving through his own experiences, and he shares wisdom and insight that will improve how you feel about your role as a caregiver and your relationship with your loved one. I think any and all caregivers would benefit from reading this book!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a valuable tool for any caregiver. It provides a compassionate, moving, and sometimes humorous look at the challenges faced by caregivers, and it is full of practical, applicable insights for lifting the everyday load. An internationally-known expert on caregiving, Dr. Blight tackles this important subject from his vast professional and personal experience. For anyone who is caring for an aging loved one, When Caregiving Calls is sure to offer refreshing support and guidance.

[Best Indie Book Award · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏆 2020 BIBA® Non-Fiction: Caregiving Winner!

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only one chapter on dementia. This would be a good book for someone just starting caregiving. Long term caregivers won't find it too helpful.

[Michelle]

I had to return this months ago, just didn't update GRs. It actually was a good, helpful book. I got through about 30% of the book.

[Jeri P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful primer on all things physical, mental, and emotional that personal caregivers go through. Caregivers need to take care of themselves. This book shows them how, in a healthy way.

[Christina Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and encouraging book for any caregiver.