Review of Happiness Is Growing Old at Home in the May/June, 2010 issue of Spirituality and Health
Happiness Is Growing Old at Home
Discover New Ways to Help Your Aging Parent Remain Independent
By MARIA TADD
Terrapin Press 2009
Most of us face uncharted territory when it comes to helping our elders plan for the issues that arise at the end of life, and as opening such discussions can be difficult, broaching the topic is often left until it is too late to avoid the problems that careful planning could have prevented.
The vast majority of aging adults wish to continue to live independently in their own homes and die there peacefully when their time comes, says author Maria Tadd. Having learned much from the experience of her own mother’s passing, Tadd advises putting ourselves in the shoes of our aging loved ones as we consider how best to help them, and says that, if it is at all possible, granting their wish to remain at home would be "one of the … greatest gifts" we could give them. And for good reason: the facts on eldercare in our society are dismal. A 2008 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study of nursing homes found 94 percent to be in violation of federal health and safety standards.
Tadd has provided a much-needed handbook that offers clear and comprehensive coverage of all the issues that those planning to age in place will have to consider. From honest talks with aging relatives, to helping a loved one find the necessary resources to maintain an independent life, Tadd covers home assessments, safety and medical technologies, staying healthy and fit, money and health care management, decisions on whether or not to live closer to family, and managing end-of-life care. Included are easy-to-read charts and lists of practical items that will serve as handy reminders of just what needs to be done to make it as easy as possible for our elders to enjoy fulfilling lives in their own homes for the remainder of their days.
Maria Tadd is a graduate of the New England School of Acupuncture and is a freelance medical writer. She is a lifelong student of holistic health, meditation, and nutrition from both Eastern and Western perspectives.
Reprinted with permission