The Caregiving Wife's Handbook: Caring for Your Seriously Ill Husband, Caring for Yourself

By Diana B. Denholm

Book Overview

Women are suffering physical, emotional and financial burnout as the United States' leading caregivers. While resources abound for caregivers in general, little help exists for women caring for seriously ill husbands.

Traditionally, caring for an ill husband has been seen as a "wifely duty." But when your husband has a long-term or life-threatening illness, things become complex. Every day brings new challenges. Making decisions without the usual help of your partner can become overwhelming. Some marriages grow stronger, others disintegrate. It is a time when clear thinking is needed - and this book can help.

Emotional Insight, Communication Tools, Practical Advice...

Soon after they married, Diana Denholm's husband was diagnosed with colon cancer and congestive heart failure, and she became his primary caregiver for more than ten years. Drawing on her work as a therapist, Denholm developed the tools and strategies that she shares in this book. Read it and you will discover that you are not alone, that many of your emotional responses (even the negative ones ) are common and normal and that there are many things you can do to manage and improve your life.

The advice in The Caregiving Wife's Handbook can help you to:

know whether your caretaking actions are keeping him dependent or are appropriate to his real needsmanage anger, guilt, grief, stress and resentment
broach awkward but important subjects, such as his hygiene, your sex life and meddling relatives negotiate common hot-button issues, including driving and financial and legal matterstake steps to bring more balance, free time and fun into your life

Denholm addresses issues with directness, offering clear-headed solutions not found anywhere else. You will also learn survival tips from the case histories of Joyce, Fran, Tina, Jean, Susan and Mary. Their experiences will help you choose the roles you should take on and those you should avoid, as well as "Do's" and "Don'ts" that will make your life simpler.

The Caregiving Wife's Handbookwill give you the support and tools you need to get through a stressful time with compassion, while keeping yourself emotionally whole.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0897936051
• ISBN13: 9780897936057
• Release Date: January 2012
• Publisher: Hunter House Publishers
• Length: 168 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Terribly Disappointed

After two years dealing with a medical crisis that has turned my life upside down I ordered this book in the hope of getting enlightened regarding my feelings and my frustrations. What a disappointment. Thank God I purchased this book used. I am an avid reader but I had to put it down and never returned to it. All it showed me was that men are basically the same when it comes to chronic illness and I am one of many loosing myself in caregiving while feeling forgotten and neglected. And a few ladies in the book had affairs? Really?Outrageous. Totally a waste of time please don't read if you need a survival guide. I have done better on my own than with this so called Guide. Trust your gut and move away from this book as fast as you can.