The AARP Caregiver Answer Book

“This inspiring, reassuring, and easy-to-read book from two of the nation's leading experts in family caregiving will help you navigate this new landscape. Clear, helpful, well informed, and wise.”

—Katy Butler, author of Knocking on Heaven's Door and The Art of Dying Well


“Family caregivers will repeatedly turn to this superb companion for support, advice, and affirmation. The authors' kindness and humility are palpable as they unflinchingly cover the hard questions caregivers face—many of which they experienced themselves. The compassionate language, accessible format, and nuts-and-bolts topics make this book a beacon of light.”

—Carol Bradley Bursack, caregiver support group facilitator and columnist, “Minding Our Elders”


“Whether you’ve been caring for a loved one for years, you’re just getting started, or you think you may need to do it soon, the AARP Caregiver Answer Book is invaluable, comforting, and illuminating. Drs. Jacobs and Mayer brilliantly mix insights from clinical practice and research with their own challenging experiences taking care of their parents. An indispensable resource.”

—Stephen Fried, coauthor of Profiles in Mental Health Courage


“Expert authors address practical challenges—like how to prevent falls, find home health or respite care, and deal with Medicaid—and emotional challenges, like conflicts with family members and overwhelming pressures. The book describes helpful resources that many caregivers never learn about, such as financial planners, and offers tips you might not have considered. As a caregiver, you need to handle problems you have never faced before, and that your friends, family, and even physicians may not understand. This book is an invaluable resource to read from cover to cover or to hunt for solutions to unexpected problems.”

—William E. Haley, PhD, Distinguished University Professor, School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida


“This book tackles important but often unspoken aspects of caregiving, including anger, exhaustion, and resentment, let alone the loss of a close relationship. Having recently lost my spouse, I found the sections on caring for partners and the chapter on death and grief particularly impactful—they reflected my own experiences in a way few resources have. The book addresses so many critical topics in one place. It offers small, achievable actions to help maximize your loved one’s independence and dignity while protecting yourself from burnout.”

—Suzanne D., Philadelphia