Caring for Loved Ones at Home

An Illustrated, Easy-to-Follow Guide to Short or Long-Term Care

Harry van Bommel

A practical guide to help family members take care of someone who is ill at home. Illustrations.

Over 120,00 copies of this perennial bestseller have been produced since 1992. Harry van Bommel believes that providing home care for loved ones is one of the most precious gifts we can give them and ourselves. These are times of great love, intimacy and laughter. These are also times of frustration and exhaustion, often caused by a lack of practical skills and support. From personal experience and extensive research, he gives step-by- step instructions, with illustrations, on how to provide basic home care. As well as practical skills, this book provides caregivers with questions to ask the right people so you can better understand tests, drugs, diagnoses, infections and treatment alternatives. It lists questions to ask when going to the hospital, undergoing surgery and includes a glossary of medical and home care terms.

Harry van Bommel is the author of 37 books in the fields of home and hospice care; management and staff development; adult learning; and how to help people record their life stories or family histories. His interest in home care comes from helping both his parents and grandfather live at home until they died as well as providing care during the birth of his children and when family and friends are ill or recovering from an illness. His writing and teaching of home care are presented from a patient and family perspective.

4th revised edition, 160 pages, 5 x 8 inches, ISBN 1-55307-016-X, $15 eBook, $20 paperback

Table of Contents

Introduction 

1. What to Do in an Emergency 

2. Home Care Examples 

     Home Birth 

     Recovering at Home

     Long-Term Care at Home 

     Caring for a Child 

     Long Distance Care 

3. Understanding How Illness Affects You and Your Family 

4. Adapting Your Home and Getting the Right Equipment 

     Preventing Falls 

5. Basic Care 

     The Mutual Gift of Caring 

     Preventing Further Illness/Infection Control 

     Helping People Get Around 

     Personal Care 

     Bed Care 

     Pain and Symptom Control 

     Symptom Control Techniques

     What Prevents Adequate Pain and Symptom Control? 

     Helping With Medication 

6. Home Care Suggestions 

7. Family and Friends: Visiting Someone Who is Ill or Recovering 

8. How Children and Teenagers Can Help 69 9. Caring from a Distance 

     When There are Local Family and Friends to Help 

     When There are No Local Family or Friends to Help 

     Short-Term Situations 

     Long-Term Situations 

10. Good Nutrition 

11. Talking With Your Doctor and Other Caregivers 

     Understanding the Doctor and Other Professional Caregivers 

     Understanding People Who are Ill and Their Families 

     What Doctors Can Learn From You 

     Some Do's and Don'ts of Improved Communication 

     The Differences Between Family Physicians and Specialists 

12. Powers of Attorney 

13. Understanding Your Condition 

     Questions Doctors Need Answered 

     Your Questions About Tests 

     Your Questions About Medications (Drugs) 

     Questions to Your Doctors About Your Condition 

     Questions When You Go to a Hospital 

     Questions Before Surgery

14. Judging the Value of Health Care News Reports 

15. Creating Your Own Support Team 

Glossary 

References 

     Books 

     The Internet 

     Finding Out About Local Home and Health Care Programs 

     Basic Services 

     Complex Services 

     Community Support Services 

     Hospice Palliative Care 

     Health Care Organizations 

     Important Information 

What People and Organizations Coast to Coast are Saying About Caring for Loved Ones at Home

We use these for our Hospice-at-Home program where trained volunteers provide respite to families who have chosen home as their planned death site. It is a mainstay of our training. - Kay Johnson, Executive Director, Langley Hospice Society

The book is great and I've shared with hospital staff, personnel from the Public Health Unit who are planning to distribute the book to families in our East Kootenay area via their home nurses, our palliative clients and families, the community Occupational Therapist. The book is concise, user friendly without "talking down", special thanks for including such a great glossary. This book has been needed for a long time! - Donna Hoover, Hospice Co-Ordinator, Cranbook Hospice Palliative Care Group

I was speaking to a young woman this morning whose father is dying from cancer, and one of her concerns is for her mother who is feeling overwhelmed and helpless by this experience. We find that concrete information, as offered in your book, is very helpful at easing caregiver's stress and anxiety. Many thanks! - Jacqueline Lemke-Clow, Coordinator, Adult Bereavement Program Hospice Calgary Society

A beautiful book, well presented with very helpful information and illustrations. We will be able to give these to families with chronically ill family members and our palliative home care clients. What a wonderful gift to families in need. Many thanks. - Eileen McCracken, Senior Nurse, Home Care, Northern Lights Regional Health Services, Fort McMurray

Empowers our clients. This will allow people to control what others are doing for them and let them know what they can say and do to make sure it is done correctly.- Barb Colbeck, RN, Home Care, Lethbridge

This will greatly assist family members who are caring for a loved one at home during times of illness or at end stage. - Christine Smith, AIDS Regina

Practical issues reaffirms discussions and information. Place for names and numbers. Type size large with spacing for easy reading. Thank you for making them free. Jenny Engelbrecht, Westman Hospice (Brandon) These books have such valuable, practical information and we commend you on the efforts you put into this project. Information about confusion in the terminally ill was mentioned by caregivers as being extremely helpful. May "God bless and keep you" for this great humanitarian gift! - Sandi Richardson, Palliative Care Coordinator, Carman Hospital

Congratulations. Finally there is a resource for us to share with our clients that covers all the basics and will serve to reassure caregivers that they are on the right track. Very practical information. We have already started to hand them out and are anxious for feedback. - Linda Sundevic, Home Care Program, Burntwood Regional Health Authority, Thompson

Time and time again I hear the comment, "If I knew what questions to ask, I would get the answers I need." This book answers those questions in language that is easy to understand, in a complete and concise way. Well done! And thank you! - Suzanne Gaudet, Hospice Simcoe, Barrie

Everything a caregiver might need to know in one, easy to understand book. Problem solving ideas are especially helpful. The sections on communications and getting answers are excellent. - Karen Harmon, Caregivers Muskoka/Parry Sound, Bracebridge

This book is an invaluable resource to persons who are emotionally committed to caring for loved ones - but who may lack tools/experience to increase practical skills and reduce stress. - Joan Burnett, Near North Palliative Care Network, North Bay

Congratulations! A job well done. Very lovely, compact, concise, will be easy to hand to the family caregivers, appealing in all regards. Information is clearly written and easy to follow. Our boxes arrived yesterday & today. A delightful surprise. Thanks from all of us at Hazel Burns Hospice volunteers, clients & staff. Be well & happy. - Jennifer Rockburne, Hazel Burns Hospice, Toronto

Excellent tool and support for the caregivers as they are often alone and at a loss when taking a terminally ill patient home and, therefore, this will enhance the care of our palliative care patients. - Edith Tube, New Brunswick Palliative Care Association, Bathurst

A wonderful book for families caring for loved ones at home. Families can provide care with more confidence after reading this book. - Cincy Oackle, RN, Palliative Care, All Saints Hospital, Springhill NS