NOTE: Books mentioned in Quest usually can be ordered through local bookstores or online. Reviewed books are not available through MDA.
The Spiritual Journey of Family
Caregiving, by Sheryl Karas, 248
pages, 2008, $21.95 printed, $15
download. Healing Communication,
www.healingcommunication.com,
(831) 325-4076
Karas, a psychologist
and counselor, presents
short bite-size chapters
touching on aspects of
caregiving. Together,
they provide much
advice and support
for those caring for
a loved one with a
long-term debilitat-
ing medical condi-
tion. She touches
on the key dif-
ficulties facing
caregivers —
exhaustion, mixed emotions,
finding help. Much of the advice is practical, including some information on nutrition, meditation and spiritual insights.
Suzanne Geffen
Mintz, 240 pages,
2007, $14.95.
Capital Books, www.capital-books. com.
In her latest book, Mintz, president and co-founder of the National Family Caregivers Association, looks beyond the personal impact of caregiving to the societal and political implications. A revision of her 2002 Love, Honor, & Value, the new book draws on Mintz’ own experience as caregiver to her husband Steven, who’s had multiple sclerosis since 1974, and that of other caregivers. She explores the roadblocks
encountered in health care, public policy and social support systems, even as the number of family caregivers is growing.
Citing progress made
over the last two decades,
Mintz nonetheless recog-
nizes that caregivers are
left to “wade through a
patchwork sea of disparate
programs” on their own.
Services, health insurance
coverage and financial breaks
are hard to find, have waiting lists, dif-
fer from state to state and aren’t open
to all family caregivers. More change is
needed in order to fulfill the NFCA’s
vision of health care, long-term care
and social service systems in which
family caregiving is a central compo-
nent.
Mintz explains how a caregiver can take more control of his or her circumstances, thereby building confidence and abilities. Taking care of the caregiv-
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