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Debbie Howard author of The Caregiving Journey: Information. Guidance. Inspiration

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    Debbie Howard author of The Caregiving Journey: Information. Guidance. Inspiration

    United States

    In my first book (The Caregiving Journey: Information. Guidance. Inspiration.), I guide you as an individual through the landscape of unpaid, non-professional, family caregiving.

    This is a book about taking deliberate actions one step at a time, and accepting that sometimes one small action may be all you can realistically manage. Taking you far beyond the basics of logistics, wills, and funeral plans, I walk you through the questions to ask and the choices you can make to create the best possible outcomes for you and your loved ones.

    With the practical steps and tools provided inside these pages, you’ll be well equipped to guide your loved ones to the end of their lives with love, ease and grace.

    When I first heard the news that my mom had been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, I was flooded with a mix of conflicting emotions. I was, in a word, overwhelmed. But there was no question in my mind about how it was going to play out …

    I had seen my great grandmother, two grandmothers and one grandfather die in institutions, and I knew that if at all possible, I would help Mom die at home. I also wanted to create a future for myself in which I knew I had given her that gift.

    At the time, I didn’t even know the term “caregiver,” and it took everything my sisters and I had to make it happen, but we managed to do it.

    Because we had a good plan and we managed to stay open and honest with each other, we were able to live Mom’s final months and days with joy and proactivity.

    We made short trips to favorite beach and mountain spots. We visited with family friends whom we hadn’t seen for far too long. We went through old family photographs, and travel albums that Mom had created when she retired. We made the most of our last family holidays together - and I even learned how to cook Mom’s Thanksgiving dinner.

    It was the most difficult job of my life (and that includes having started and run a business in Japan for 24 years!). I was not prepared for all I was called upon to handle - physcially, emotionally, and even financially - but somehow I found a way to rise to the occasion.

    My mom was able to die at home, feeling safe and loved, which was what we all wanted. It is my main source of comfort today, so many years since she passed away.

    Through personal stories drawn from my own experiences along with the experiences of hundreds of non-professional caregivers in a wide variety of situations, in The Caregiving Journey: Information. Guidance. Inspiration. I share with you how to plan and prepare so you can navigate your caregiving journey and make it the best it can be. I also share with you how to take care of yourself first while you are caregiving, so that you have a deeper personal well from which to draw while you are providing care for your loved one. Finally, I help you view your caregiving experience as a point of personal transformation that can enrich and improve your own life as you move into your future.

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    Debbie Howard author of The Caregiving Journey: Information. Guidance. Inspiration Videos


    The Caregiving Crisis + The Caregiving Journey

    A live and interactive discussion with Debbie Howard, author, and caregiver advocate on a mission to change the way the world looks at caregiving so the impacts are not so devastating...


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