I'll Be Right There is for all my fellow baby boomers and sandwich generation taking care of aging parents or loved ones. This can be an extremely stressful, emotional and overwhelming phase in life when we are saying "I'll be right there," all the time. Pulled in a hundred directions at once, answers need to be easy to find and access. IBRT is a guidebook to help get from day one ("I'm worried about mom/dad"), to the end and beyond ("What are we supposed to do with all this stuff????") of caring for a loved one.
Get ahead of last minute decision making to reduce stress, make things easier with step by step guides and checklists, access resources you might not know exist, find free help, get siblings to work together (even if you live miles or continents apart) and more. This comprehensive workbook is filled with stories and humor (you are not alone!) between worksheets and places to gather and store important information for each stage of your parents' aging. You only need one chapter at a time, but the others are there when you (or your neighbors or friends) have questions.
- Pages to fill-in the information you'll need to have in an emergency (passwords, accounts, names, phone numbers, medications, insurance policies, etc.) Keep everything in one place for easy retrieval.
- Go through the questions to learn what your loved ones want and hope for so you don't have to waste money, time and emotional energy by guessing or assuming.
- Complete home and health assessments to figure out where you are so you can prepare for the future before accidents and changes start happening.
- Communication strategies for the tough issues (like taking the car keys, moving out of the home, end of life planning, hiring help, etc.) - Making sense of working with financial and legal strategists and/or doctors - Managing mental and physical health challenges - and more.
I believe the hardest part of caregiving is knowing what to do and when for the people we love. Working through this book will give you the confidence, and peace of mind, knowing you CAN handle this!
I have always held in the back of my mind an uneasy to-do list as it relates to caring for my mom, especially now that my dad has passed. After reading this book, I know I can take this on. Today that means that I can take inventory of all the paperwork in my safe (which I have been avoiding) and that I can be better plugged in to what my mom may need help with at home (but won’t ask for). Tomorrow that might mean knowing how to deal with a medical situation...or something more serious.
—Heather, caregiver
I’ll Be Right Th ere is from the heart. Chock full of detail, humor, compassion, and love. Fern has captured the essence of being a caregiver, and we know the best advice comes from having lived that role. Th e book is an easy read, not a classic Rx, and Fern’s style and comic relief allow one to say, “OMG—that’s my parent(s)!”
—Judy Simon, geriatric expert; creator of T.A.P.—Th e Alzheimer Project (movement program based on ballroom dance) and Th e Parkinson’s Choir; Former owner A&J Home Care
After more than 15 years of caring for my disabled father—leading up to his passing—I thought I knew everything an adult child caring for an aging parent needed to know. I’m happy to say that I’ll Be Right Th ere proved me wrong in the best way possible. Th is book is a wonderfully comprehensive resource. Fern manages to present an amazing amount of information in an engaging yet realistic way. She doesn’t shy from the diffi cult or sensitive topics and uses her compassion and experiences to guide a reader through what can be a very hard process and major life event. I’m reassured that I’m now better prepared to help care for my aging mother.
—Karen, caregiver
Th is book provides an amazing road map for the reader. You can choose what chapters you need to visit and spend time reviewing. Th e guidance is clear and relatable along with recommendations and valuable resources in one comprehensive location. Congratulations, Fern, on taking this journey with your parents and procuring all the expertise along the way for the benefi t of others.
—Marie Duquette, Atria @ Villages of Windsor, Community Sales Director
Fern has a nice way of relating diffi cult concepts into digestible sections. I particularly like the way she addresses driving. Driving while incapacitated (the real DWI) is a major problem, especially in cities without a good public transit infrastructure. It is an issue that must be approached with understanding and respect. Th e tools provided in I’ll Be Right Th ere should help readers on this and many other issues. Fern approached these types of diffi cult topics with sensitivity and insight.
—Scott Solkoff, Elder Law Specialist
I particularly liked reading about your journey and about dealing with anger. I thought it was only my situation that my husband was so very angry and hostile.
—Barbara, caregiver
I would have bought I’ll Be Right Th ere for the title alone, but as an adult who has cared for grandparents and is now sharing care for my parents along with my siblings, I am very aware of the need for great resources along the way. Th is guidebook is practical and compassionate, helping us avoid panic and assuring us that we will have what we need to navigate these uncertain times. Empowered with the information Fern has generously shared in this book, we can care for our parents and also care for ourselves. We can do this!
—Connie M. Baker Executive Director, Wong-Baker FACES Foundation Co-creator of the Wong-Baker FACESŪ Pain Rating Scale
