The Complete Eldercare Planner: Where to Start, Which Questions to Ask, and How to Find Help

by Joy Loverde

The only guide you’ll ever need to manage the care of your aging family

FULLY REVISED AND UPDATED


As our population shifts and ages, the care needs for our elders continue to change and evolve. Today’s generation of family and professional caregivers faces new decisions and challenges, as well as previously unavailable options. This thoroughly revised and updated 2009 edition of The Complete Eldercare Planner equips you with reliable, up-to-the-minute information to help you plan and manage caring for your loved ones.

Comprehensive and detailed, sensitive and realistic, practical and accessible, the 2009 edition provides even more tips on prioritizing and organizing caregiving tasks, balancing work and family responsibilities, and navigating the complex maze of eldercare services. In addition to an expanded index of Internet resources and access to downloadable forms of key documents, you’ll find indispensable checklists, worksheets, step-by-step action plans, lists of questions to ask, low-cost and free alternative resources, and The Document Locator™. This new edition covers:

•Getting started on creating a long-term care plan
•Finding help, especially if you live far away
•Managing the financial aspects
•Talking to elders about sensitive subjects
•Senior housing–move or stay put?
•Managing medications
•And many other topics of vital interest to anyone caring for an elder

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, How To

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me get and stay organized concerning mom's care. It was very helpful in a practical way because it kept me focused on giving mom the care she needed when it was hard not to get emotional and give up (which was not an option).

[Cymiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good checklists in this book. May check out again if needing to refer to senior housing checklist.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contains an expanded index of internet resources and access to downloadable forms of key documents, checklists, and worksheets.

[Kristen Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Complete Eldercare Planner" was very detailed guide and checklist (love!) and had a wealth of relevant, factual information one and one's family should consider. While no one likes to think or experience the less pleasant parts of life, there is something to be said about being proactive in your own potential care down the road and/or those who may find themselves in a situation of caring for an elder.

Each chapter is clearly broken down into essentials and reference and recommendation on resources. I thought this was exceptional for a wide audience and could be an exceptional tool for those being proactive with their own care or the care of another. Highly recommend.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been extremely beneficial in understanding the challenges of caring for my elderly parents, and importantly, helping to identify resources for assistance and guidance along the difficult journey. It also clearly discusses the need for developing a Care Team, and how critical it is for the caregiver to make sure they are taking good care of themselves, due to the pressures and costs, especially emotionally, for the caregiver. Well organized with lots of "Action Checklists" by category!

[Shirley Ulbrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Everything one needs to deal with this daunting task. Really helps in my steep learning curve! The last chapter alone is worth the price of this book. (I peeked ahead; now I'm studying every word.)

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very practical. Lots of suggestions and checklists. Recommended

[Shirley Ulbrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. I learned quite a bit. Will definitely use this as a guide often.

[Sora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend for family and friends working with aging family members. This book was very step by step how to and contained a wealth of information. It was easy to follow and I think will make a great quick reference in the future as I need a refresher or situations change. I feel like this book accomplished it’s mission and I feel much more prepared for taking on caregiving. I’ve already used some information and it’s been very helpful. It’s a little out dated (it explained what emails, google searches, and video calls are) but a lot of the information was still very spot on and helpful.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted this book to be helpful but I actually just found it too overwhelming. It asks too many questions and then doesn't really support you in the emotional labor of answering them. It's comprehensive in terms of the numerous things you need to think about when planning eldercare, but I found that reading it stressed me out more than helped me, unfortunately, and I returned it to the library. Also a lot of the resources are too general to be useful - they are national-level rather than local, and local is really what you need. I suggest contacting your local council on aging as a better alternative.

[Lisa J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an invaluable resource that stands out for its thoroughness and thoughtfulness. It offers comprehensive guidance for the complexities of caring for aging loved ones. Loverde's insight is compassionate and practical, addressing a spectrum of concerns with clarity and sensitivity. This book adeptly covers legal and financial considerations to emotional support and healthcare management, providing a holistic approach to caregiving.
Loverde's expertise shines through in her advice, offering actionable steps and tools to help caregivers make informed decisions confidently. What sets this book apart is its user-friendly format, making it accessible and easy to reference in moments of need. The empathy woven into the pages makes it not just a guide but a comforting companion. It is an indispensable resource, offering guidance and support.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has recently navigated the realm of eldercare, I wish I had had a copy of this book beforehand. The information provided is spot on and provides the reader with a wealth of knowledge. Even if you are not having to deal with eldercare issues at this time, it will help you as you begin to make decisions for your future as an aging adult. Do yourself ... or your child(ren) ... a favor and purchase this book. It will be worth every penny for the peace of mind you will experience as well as knowing you are making wise and well thought out decisions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rodale Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

[Nancy Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This updated Planner has everything the previous editions had, plus so much more. Updated resources, societal changes noted, COVID discussed and more worksheets are provided. When I was first introduced to "The Eldercare Planner", I was the caregiver for both of my parents, who have since died. Now it is this Baby Boomer who reads this book as a manual for what to do for my husband and myself. This is an essential primer and very thankful it has been updated for today.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bumma goes beyond this....but it had soe useful info.

[Mimi Pockross]

This was a great resource for me when I was caring for my parents. I continue to refer to it now that I am preparing for my own older years.

[Sebastian Sanio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive guide with a very large scope on how to deal with eldercare.
It describes the topics in detail and with examples and checklists
Overall, I found it very useful

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, helpful with links online for you to print out sheets to help you.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't finish. Need to come back to this one.