Eldercare 101: A Practical Guide to Later Life Planning, Care, and Wellbeing

by Mary Jo Saavedra CMC, CSA, CAPS, gerontologist, life planning counselor, and author of Elder, Susan Cain McCarty (Editor), Theresa Giddings (Editor), Lawrence Hansen (Editor), Benjamin B. Hellickson (Editor)

Overview

The Silver Tsunami is upon us as elder care and crisis management reaches a tipping point with the graying of America. By 2020, 54 million people in the U.S. will be over the age of 65; by 2030, that number will top 80 million. Feeling the squeeze of multi-generational home demands, children of aging parents are struggling to learn innovative eldercare management strategies and often find themselves overwhelmed by the many facets of caregiving. Eldercare 101 is the answer to making order from chaos. As a guide covering all aspects of aging and end-of-life in one place, caregivers will no longer spend endless nights trying to decode the Internet trail—confused, uncertain, and fearful of what they’re missing. Whether they are proactively planning ahead or need to have fast answers, this comprehensive, technology-rich resource presents steppingstones for the Sandwich Generation as they navigate caring for aging parents, grandparents, friends, and other family members.

Eldercare 101 is a well-researched, organized, easy-to-understand guide for families desperately in need of help as they care for their aging loved ones. The book is organized into “6 pillars of aging wellbeing”: legal, financial, living environment, social, medical, and spiritual. Each pillar is explored by an expert and offers best practices and tips for evaluating choices, making decisions, and living well wherever the road might lead.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810895775
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	12/04/2017
Pages:	310
Sales rank:	692,442
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Mary Jo Saavedra, MAIS, CMC, CAPS, CSA is a practicing gerontologist and aging life care manager in Portland, Oregon. With a passion for empowering individuals of all ages to live their best lives, Mary Jo is dedicated to the holistic wellbeing of her clients. Using her 6 Pillars of Aging Wellbeing™ process, she helps elders choose how they will live with the challenges of aging; at the heart of every care or life plan she designs is respect for the needs and wants of the elder.

An out-of-the-box thinker, Mary Jo is credited with defining the conceptual model for an innovative real estate-focused rating system for classifying age-friendly homes. She is also an adjunct professor of gerontology at Marylhurst University, Pacific University, and Portland Community College; and she teaches aging and spirituality at the Franciscan Spiritual Center in Milwaukie, Oregon. In addition, Mary Jo has 30 years of professional experience across multiple industries including high tech, nonprofit, and health and wellbeing. http://www.eldercare101book.com/

Free PDF of "Eldercare 101 Getting Organized Forms"is available for download by clicking on the "Features" tab at https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442265462

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
1: LEGAL EASE / Sara K. Yen, JD, LLM
2: MONEY MATTERS / Theresa Giddings, CPA, CFP®
3: LIVING ENVIRONMENT OPTIONS FOR ELDERS/ Susan Cain McCarty, MAIS, CSA
4: SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ELDERS/ Susan Cain McCarty, MAIS, CSA
5: NAVIGATING THE MEDICAL MAZE / Joyce Sjoberg, MA, RN, CMC
6: SPIRITUALITY AND THE END(S) OF LIFE: CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CARED-FOR AND THEIR CARE-GIVERS / Rev. Lawrence Hansen, BCC/CFHPC, CT
Glossary
Meet the Authors

Editorial Reviews

What sets Eldercare 101 apart from other guides to family decision making in later life is the unique approach taken by Saavedra and her co-authors. Older adults and those who care about and for them are viewed holistically and reverentially. The complex issues they face together are considered in ways that are both practical and inspirational. I anticipate that this guide will become a valuable and indispensable resource for many.

Jennifer Sasser

Gerontologist and 'aging life-care manager'Saavedra, with the help of other experts on the elderly, delivers on the promise in her subtitle. She divides her guide to caring for parents and other family members into six useful sections: 'Legal Ease,' 'Money Matters,' 'Living Environment Options,' 'Social Considerations,' 'Navigating the Medical Maze,' and 'Spirituality and the End of Life.' Making ample use of boldface type and shaded boxes, she defines such terms as power of attorney (a legal document that gives someone the authority to sign documents and conduct transactions on another person’s behalf) and intestacy (dying without a will) in each chapter and also in a glossary at the end.... [T]his just-the-facts service guide gathers a large amount of good information in one place and fills a serious need: the over-65 population will number 54 million by 2020 and 80 million by 2030. Saavedra’s book will get a lot of use.

Booklist

This updated version of Eldercare 101 is a fantastic soup-to-nuts guide to later life, with practical advice on personal finances, housing, estate planning, physical and mental health, Medicare, social connections and spirituality. The handy resources alone are worth the price of the book.

Richard Eisenberg

Whether you're the giver or receiver of care, this gem of a book will be your trusted companion to the very end. Empathetic, eye-opening, and resource rich.

Kate Kaufmann

Eldercare 101 Updated is a must have resource of proven best practices for life planning and caregiving. The six pillars — which includes place! — provides a practical framework to make sense of the maze that is planning for later stages of life. This is an indispensable resource for elders and caregivers alike.

Ryan Frederick

Gerontologist and 'aging life-care manager'Saavedra, with the help of other experts on the elderly, delivers on the promise in her subtitle. She divides her guide to caring for parents and other family members into six useful sections: 'Legal Ease,' 'Money Matters,' 'Living Environment Options,' 'Social Considerations,' 'Navigating the Medical Maze,' and 'Spirituality and the End of Life.' Making ample use of boldface type and shaded boxes, she defines such terms as power of attorney (a legal document that gives someone the authority to sign documents and conduct transactions on another person’s behalf) and intestacy (dying without a will) in each chapter and also in a glossary at the end.... [T]his just-the-facts service guide gathers a large amount of good information in one place and fills a serious need: the over-65 population will number 54 million by 2020 and 80 million by 2030. Saavedra’s book will get a lot of use.

Booklist

07/21/2023

Much has changed since 2016, when gerontologist/aging life care manager Saavedra published the first edition of this helpful guide directed at family and professional caregivers for older people: the pandemic provoked a reassessment of nursing homes; some people moved out of cities and became more aware of the importance of connections to others; and many people dealt with their own and others' isolation and depression. In this updated edition, Saavedra uses what she calls the "six pillars of aging wellbeing" to explore and discuss the legal, living-environment, spiritual, social, medical, and financial issues that today's elder population may encounter. For example, lawyers can help determine options when an older person does not have children or any family in the area. Social workers may look into living-environment options, a pastor may discuss one's spirituality and the end of life, and other experts will consider social aspects, connectedness, wellness and care, fears, managing dementia, and money matters. VERDICT By 2030, some 78 million baby boomers are expected to reach the age of 65. They, as well as their current and potential caregivers, will welcome this practical advice.—Marcia Welsh

Library Journal