Overview

Tackling the mental and emotional challenges of caregiving Caring For Mom and Other Loved Souls is a memoir about a family's caregiving experience in their multigenerational home, caring for an elderly mother who passed away at the age of 93. Along with the author's own story, she interviewed over a dozen longtime caregivers-many having loved ones with Alzheimer's disease-to gain their additional insights and perspectives on coping with the emotional side of caregiving. The combined stories touch upon many tough subjects: the family drama sometimes surrounding a loved one's care (who makes the tough calls, unequal involvement in a family member's care, handling the cost of the care, the emotional fallout when a caregiver tries to do everything themselves), elder over-medication-and the importance of having the right doctor on speed dial, why you shouldn't fear hospice, the need to keep one's faith, dealing with isolation and the de-prioritization of non-caregiver roles (spouse, parent, friend), and moving forward from loss. The book highlights the benefits-and many challenges-of multigenerational living (""sandwiched caregiving""), and discusses the importance of managing both caregiver stress and the seemingly endless feelings of caregiver guilt. Current caregivers will relate to both the author's and ""other loved souls'"" journeys, and the book's honest and heartfelt narrative has prompted early reviewers to laugh, cry, and reflect on their own precious caregiving moments. The book shares the humor and lighthearted stories more typically found behind the public curtain of caregiving. An older parent may be interested in reading the book-and perhaps gifting it to their adult children-as it provides an insight into what their son or daughter may experience as their future caregiver role evolves over time. It may help with early-on discussions relating to caregiving expectations and concerns. Many initial readers have commented that they purchased a second or third book for their adult children. Young adults have found the book has helped them to better understand and prepare for their future role as part of an aging parent's caregiving team. Caring For Mom and Other Loved Souls is not a handbook for daily caregiving tasks. Instead, it provides the reader with helpful and inspirational guidance-and practical advice-centered on the mental and emotional struggles of caring for a loved one, losing them, and surviving their loss. It also underscores the importance of family and shines a light on what caregivers are truly capable of doing in the name of love.

Full Product Details

9798991090605

Table of Contents

Reviews

Izabella Wentz, Pharm.D., FASCP. Author of three New York Times/Wall Street Journal Bestselling books. A longtime colleague of mine, Diane Blum, has written a book, Caring for Mom and Other Loved Souls. In it, she shares her own caregiving story and provides insights and practical advice on how caregivers can manage stress, as well as navigate the emotional challenges of caring for a loved one. This book is a must-have if you're a caretaker yourself, and would make a great gift for anyone you know who is in the trenches of caretaking. 11/9/2025 Anna Cabeca, DO, OBGYN, FACOG. National Bestselling Author. In the book, Caring For Mom and Other Loved Souls, the author, a longtime writer of mine, tells a beautiful story of her own caregiving experiences, which she calls the ""blessings and stressings"" of caregiving. She also shares the insights of over a dozen other caregivers. I love how she details the mental and emotional challenges of caring for a loved one, providing practical advice and inspiration from her own and other carers' most intimate stories. I think you will enjoy Diane and her family's journey. Reviewers have been enjoying it and learning from it as well. I was honored to write the Foreword for this book. 11/17/2024 Cristina Wood. LMFT. As a psychotherapist who often supports clients navigating the overwhelming demands of caregiving, I found Caring for Mom and Other Loved Souls to be a deeply compassionate and necessary read, not only for caregivers themselves but also for the professionals who support them. It is a book I will recommend to both clients and colleagues, and it's one I will return to often for its wisdom, its warmth, and its gentle reminder that even in caregiving, we are allowed to grieve, to feel, and to heal. 6/3/2025

Author Information

Diane Doran Blum has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has previously written caregiving-related articles for the Alzheimer's Association's North American website (caregiver blog). She has also worked extensively in the holistic healthcare space, writing research-based articles focused on: women's hormone and sexual health, stress and its mental and physical health effects, cognitive and emotional health, healthy aging, and many other topics. Several decades ago, Diane was a caregiver for her dad, and then later, her elderly mom. She talks about their collective journeys in her book, sharing her personal story of being ""sandwiched"" between an aging parent and young children while caregiving in the family's multigenerational home. She also interviewed over a dozen caregivers to include their stories and perspectives on caregiving. She maintains a personal blog (ObsoletedSoccerMom.com) where she records her thoughts on life, motherhood, being adopted, and the trials of getting older.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available