The Complete Bedside Companion: A No Nonsense Advice on Caring for the Seriously Ill

A very thorough resource book for all who find themselves caring for sick, terminal, or aging persons. I found this a helpful source of information and reference to other sources of information when taking care of aging and sick parents. Check it out ... it really does provide help.

My Sister and I both owned this book and read it to each other over the phone (we live in different towns) so that we could make sure we were both viewing our Mother's death in the same way. I was actually caring for her, but she was very involved with my endless decisions I had to make. That was very helpful in showing me I wasn't alone. Now, unfortunately, I have to use it again because my dear Sister is dying. I have recommended this book to her 6 children who will be caring for her. This guide will help them as it did me, when they have a question in the middle of the night, or on the weekend when they can't reach the doctor. I know I would have made it without this book, but it sure made my life better!

The overall description of this book in the Review section seems to describe the contents and features of this book quite well, so I will simply add my impressions. I have recently begun sharing caregiver duties for a terminally ill parent and recommend this book as perhaps the best single introduction I have found. Looking at thirteen years of full-time undergraduate and post-graduate work, I found I had not a single hour of instruction in how to navigate the emotional and technically difficult art of caring for a terminally ill patient. Such caring is not given much coverage in today's world, and I have to admit I was nearly clueless as the process began. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to those who are beginning this potentially beautiful yet potentially treacherous path, either as a caregiver or a patient. The book is a tremendous "how-to" resource and elementary caregiving, and it provides a decent list resources for further information. I hope to use the book to prepare my own way as well. My only criticism is it gives little help in things like preparing eulogies or funeral etiquette, and it gives little help in managing the sibling difficulties which can arise during the process of caregiving.

As a professional in the medical field and as a lay person, I found this to be the most educational, practical and comforting book I have read on this subject. This book contains information, resources and references for every aspect of caring for the seriously ill. The layout is organized and finding topics is effortless. Everyone should have this book, preferably before they need it. This book touched my heart and my mind.

This extremely comprehensive handbook "traces the sequence of events common to a life-threatening illness and examines the innumerable concerns and crises that arise along the way." Caring for the seriously ill has not been a concern for several years. High technology, new drugs, and caregiving organizations have taken this burden off of the loved ones of those whose life is being threatened. In the early part of the century, families knew what had to be done and took care of the sick in their homes. They made do with what they had, rearranged rooms and furniture, and tried to make life as comfortable as possible for those who were seriously sick. With the AIDS epidemic, taking care of the seriously ill at home has made a come back because no one wanted to deal with an individual who had such a misunderstood malady. A large majority of these individuals did not have the ways and means to be able to afford any other kind of care except what could be given by the loved ones around them. This remarkable book is for those people who are faced with taking care of someone they love. These individuals become advocates for the sick person. "the term advocate sounds more daunting than it really is. Simply, an advocate is the person who looks out for the patient's best interests and sees to it that his or her needs are met." Part one, "Caring for the Sick," provides useful information that will be of initial importance to anyone faced with caring for someone seriously ill. The 11 chapters cover: "The Hospital and the Medical Team: Who's Who and What's What," "Dealing with the Doctors," "The Everyday Angel's Cram Course in Essential Nursing Skills, 101," "Matters of the Heart," "Mustering the Troops," "The Caregiver as Consumer Activist," "Care for the Caregivers," "Paying the Bills," "Preparing for the Worst," "Journey's End," and "Aftermath." The second part, "The Everyday's Angel's Cram Course in Adult Medicine," covers 9 illness that affect a large number of people: cancer, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular stroke or traumatic brain injury, emphysema and chronic bronchitis, diabetes, AIDS/HIV, liver disease, kidney disease, and progressive neurological disease. Each chapter describes the disease, provides symptoms, treatment regimens, complications, what can be done, and much more, ending with recommended readings. The three appendices are useful resources: "Recommended Resources," "Miscellaneous Resources," and "For Referrals to Home Health Care, Hospice Care, Long-Term Care, Adult Day Care, Respite Care, and Rehabilitation Facilities." This is one of the best books available on caring for the seriously ill and should be available to anyone who has the responsibility of doing the caring. It is a highly recommended book for all public, academic, and medical libraries.