The Family’s Guide to Making Decisions and Getting Good Care
second edition
Peter S. Silin, MSW, RSW
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Almost a decade ago, Peter S. Silin, B. A., MSW, RSW, wrote Nursing Homes: The Family’s Journey to provide family members with practical advice and emotional support. This successor volume incorporates the new and sometimes baffling world of assisted living. Nursing Homes and Assisted Living focuses on the psychological, emotional, and practical aspects of helping family members and seniors make a difficult transition. Silin approaches his subject with compassion and sensitivity, guiding readers through the process of finding the best possible care. He describes how nursing homes and assisted living facilities work and outlines the selection process; he explains how to prepare for the day a relative moves into a facility and suggests ways to help the resident settle in; he focuses on the family member’s role in solving problems, obtaining good-quality care, and visiting. The author’s insights help caregivers cope with difficult decisions and deal with emotional issues such as guilt and grief, while celebrating the tender, rewarding aspects of being a caregiver. Vignettes from real-life caregivers narrating their experiences amplify Silin’s advice and will resonate with families.
Praise for the first edition:
“A thorough, excellent and humane book that helps families navigate a difficult, traumatic life change in the most successful way possible.”
—Inside GCM
“Among the most valuable chapters in this book is one titled ‘Making a Home Better,’ which includes wonderful advice on how a loved one can influence what goes on inside a nursing home. His inclusion of real-life stories from the families he’s encountered over 20 years anchors the book compassionately.”
—Los Angeles Times
“This is both a very humanistic book and a very practical one . . . written with the insight of a sociologist and geriatric care manager, someone who sees the human side of the equation first.”
— ElderCare Online
