The Complete Guide & Mini-Guides
“I can’t say enough about the reception caregivers provide with the information and training they receive on ADLs. Thanks for your incredible information!” – J. Skaggs, Caregiver Coordinator, Northern Arizona Council of Governments District III, Area Agency on Aging
“We use The Comfort of Home® for the foundational text in our 40-hour Caregiver training. I believe it is the best on the market.” – Linda Young, Project Manager, College of the Desert
“The Comfort of Home® : A Complete Guide for Caregivers continues to earn its reputation as the ‘bible’ for providing home caregivers to aged, ill or handicapped loved ones with a thoroughly ‘user friendly’ illustrated guide that covers everything necessary from daily living tasks to preparations for hospice care, to making funeral arrangements. This is a complete and superbly organized, 400 page comprehensive ‘how to’ manual that will help the caregiver to develop their skills, expertise, and confidence, which will in turn enhance their peace of mind with respect to the quality of life they are helping to afford their charge. Also available in the Spanish edition, The Comfort of Home™: A Complete Guide for Caregivers is a ‘must’ for anyone having responsibility for helping another to continue to live in their home, prepare them for having to move into an extended care facility, or to help make final arrangements. Three other outstanding and highly recommended specialized manuals for professional home care from CareTrust Publications include: The Comfort of Home™ for Parkinson Disease, The Comfort of Home™ for Stroke and The Comfort of Home™ Multiple Sclerosis Edition. –The Midwest Book Review Paul T. Vogel
“A must have resource for anyone assuming or considering the caregiver role. Physicians, family practitioners and geriatricians, and hospital social workers should be familiar with the book and recommend it to families of the elderly.” – Reviewers Choice, Home Care University Quality Review
“In my 20 years of direct and academic experience, The Comfort of Home® is the most comprehensive and reader-friendly guide to care at home that I have found. Anyone dealing with an aging friend or relative can benefit greatly from using to it.”– Judith Bartmann, PhD, Director; Institute for the Study of Aging – Nova Southeastern University
“Resource of Note” –National Chronic Care Consortium’s CareLink
“What are the basics needed in home care? This covers the needs of home care; from bathing and wheelchair transfers to avoiding illness and getting health care advice. Pros and cons are outlined along with a step-by-step program for caregivers. Notable here are the specifics; from understanding special equipment for home care to assessing different insurance plan options: where others focus on psychology alone, this gets down to the nitty gritty.” – The Midwest Book Review
“…covers the essentials of home care in a practical, easy-to-follow format.” – The Troy Record
“This book is an excellent, comprehensive and easily understood resource for caregivers.” –Linda M. Pace, CISW, Director; Pathways Program, Foundation for Senior Living
“This extremely practical book provides family caregivers information about how to meet the physical care needs of their loved ones and how to travel the maze of decisions related to home care and care in long term care facilities. I found the information well-presented and very practical.” – Sylvia McSkimming , PhD, RN; Executive Director, Supportive Care of the Dying
“Excellent book” – MAGEC MESSENGER, A University of Miami MAGEC / GRECC Publication
“This book is an excellent, comprehensive and easily understood resource for caregivers.” –Linda M. Pace, CISW, Director; Pathways Program, Foundation for Senior Living
“The Comfort of Home is a basic guide to providing home health care, which is one of life’s most formidable challenges. It will be particularly helpful to those who live in rural areas and do not have professionals readily accessible.” –Western Wire, Western Rural Development Center (Winter 1999); Reviewed by Vicki Schmall PhD, Gerontology Specialist,Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University
“This book is well thought out and laid out. It is a step-by-step guide that all caregivers need regardless of the care receiver’s chronic condition. Both formal and informal caregivers will benefit from reading this book.”– Suzie Cashwell, Administrative Coordinator of Valdosta State University, South Georgia CARE-NET
COPD Edition
This COPD Caregivers reference book is an easy to use guide to support any caregiver, family member or friend. The Chapters are well organized and the illustrations are excellent. The Guide is very thorough and provides the framework to give the best care for a loved one while emphasizing the importance for the caregiver to take time to care for themselves. This resource belongs in every home.–Diane Walsh, Volunteer, C.O.P.D. Information Line Caregivers Program, Co-Founder, COPD Foundation
“This book should be read by anyone who will undertake the role of caregiver for family members with chronic lung disease. It will alert the potential caregiver to important issues to address in their new roles. It provides a source of comfort to know that others in this position have successfully adopted a challenging new and important task for their loved ones.”–Barry Make, MD, Co-Director, COPD Program, National Jewish Medical and Research Center
“This book is very well done and easy to read; it is an excellent reference for caregivers.”–Thomas L. Petty MD, Founding Chairman and Chairman Emeritus of the National Lung Health Education Program
Alzheimer’s Edition
“This is an exceptional book that gives the reader tips on how to care for family members with Alzheimer’s Disease. Each chapter discusses some behaviors caregivers might encounter along with tips on how to make the home safe. The goal of the book is to help family members with Alzheimer’s to stay at home for as long as they can before having to go into a nursing home. The chapter on reducing frustration for family members was very interesting and informative. Ideas on how to reduce this frustration included information on noise levels, changing of furniture and daily routines. The author also gave resources on how to look for nursing homes, what one needed to do to prepare the family member for the move and addressing end-of-life issues. “The Comfort of Home for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Guide for Caregivers” would be a wonderful resource to have; it was easy to read and the suggestions were very helpful.” Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views
“The Comfort of Home for Alzheimer’s Disease, A Guide for Caregivers” is an excellent reference book for anyone who is involved in the care of an Alzheimer’s patient. The book is well organized, clearly written, with some very simple and effective forms that can be copied and used to ensure that all caregivers have the essential information they need to provide competent care. The authors emphasize the need for the caregivers to obtain support for themselves, and give practical advice about where to go and who to contact for assistance… As a 30-year veteran of the home care industry, I feel that I am qualified to provide meaningful commentary on this particular book. I am a Registered Nurse, with a Master’s degree in Nursing, and I would recommend this book be a part of every library where any healthcare worker or layperson who is involved in the care of Alzheimer’s patients can use it for planning, teaching, monitoring and evaluating the care that they are providing.”– Reviewed by Mary Durfor for RebeccasReads
Heart Edition
“Advances in technology and medical therapies have significantly improved the lives of patients with heart failure. But day to day it is the “simple” measures that can matter most. The Comfort of Home for Chronic Heart Failure is an invaluable compendium of useful and practical information to help patients and their caregivers manage chronic heart failure. The ideas and helpful hints go beyond heart failure care making this book a useful resource for any family dealing with a chronic medical condition.”–Nicholas Smedira, MD Cardiac Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic
“The Comfort of Home for Chronic Heart Failure is a “must-have” for the over 5 million families (in the United States alone) dealing with this major disorder. Many books have been written about heart failure for physicians, nurses and other health care providers. A few have been written for the heart failure patients themselves. This is the first to be written specifically for the caregiver– until now, the ‘silent partner’ in the war on this deadly disorder. This book is wonderfully written with detailed explanations and discussions as well as quick “bullet” points on each page to make reading more educational and fun. While the book is targeted to the caregivers, it is a “must-read” for health care providers as well, providing details about home care, financial resources and end-of-life planning not available in the existing medical textbooks. It will forever occupy a key spot on my office bookshelf.“–David O. Taylor, M.D., FACC ,Professor of Medicine, Director, Heart Failure Special Care Unit, Director, Heart Failure/Transplantation Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
“This book is a unique resource for individuals who care for patients with chronic heart failure. It is packed with solid advice and practical tips for caregivers on how to take care of patients and themselves. It is written with passion and affection by individuals whose commitment and dedication to patients are evident on every page. It is an essential guide for anyone who cares for someone with chronic heart failure.”– Steven E. Nissen MD MACC, Chairman, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University
Liver Edition
“This is an exceptionally well written reference which should prove invaluable to people with liver disorders as well as to the family and friends who will assume responsibility for providing care to these individuals. The authors have successfully married a wealth of information with an easy reading style. I was particularly impressed with their ability to convey the essential components of very complex subjects to readers who lack formal medical training. The notes and tips interspersed in the text serve to artfully focus the reader’s attention and to emphasize key elements and concepts. “–Andrew S. Klein, M.D., M.B.A., Esther and Mark Schulman Chair in Surgery and Transplant Medicine, Director, Comprehensive Transplant Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
MS Edition
“Meyer and Derr (coauthors, The Comfort of Home Caregiving Journal), in collaboration with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, have compiled a large amount of detailed, practical advice on caregiving for MS patients in an easily digestible format. The book is divided into three major sections: one that addresses decisions about and preparation for homecare, one that deals with the activities of daily living, and one that collects additional resources such as a glossary, lists of abbreviations and organizations, and types of medical specialists. Every page has something useful to offer, e.g., caveats, checklists, sample forms, and schedules. There are helpful graphics throughout, demonstrating, for example, range-of-motion exercises or how to make a bed with someone in it. This is an invaluable addition to bibliographies for the home caregiver. Hospital libraries will want to have a copy on hand for physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and any staff dealing with MS patients and their caregivers. Highly recommended for all public libraries and consumer health collections.”–Library Journal -Cleo Pappas, Lib. of the Health Sciences, Univ. of Illinois, Chicago
“This book is empowering to caregivers and patients by offering step-by-step answers to the many questions that we face day-to-day. A broad stroke of issues, with clear visuals, this book is easy to read, in a well-organized format with critical information and resources at your fingertips. If home is where the heart is, this book educates the reader about the many issues that stand before people living with chronic conditions and provides answers and avenues for getting the best care possible. I will definitely keep a desk copy for myself as well as for my medical team and friends who will benefit from this concise and realistic view of managing life with a chronic condition. It’s a manual for decision making through difficult times.”–Kathleen Wilson MA, MFA; Founding President MSWorld, Inc.; www.msworld.org
“This really is a must-read for anyone who cares for someone with MS. People with MS who are currently care-free (or care-less) would do well to read it also. Mindfully illustrated, well-organized, and exhaustive in its breadth of information, the book addresses the important issues facing those who are trying to retain quality of life at home while coping with worsening MS. There are chapters on major hurdles, such as financial planning, deciding on and implementing the level of care needed, and adaptive physical/material considerations. There are usefully illustrated chapters covering body positioning and transferring for one who cannot move voluntarily. There are also detailed chapters about hygiene, catheterization, feeding, and otherwise maintaining both the body and spirits of a loved one with MS. Those details could be chilling for one who has MS and may be daunting for a caregiver, too, but the writing is calm and supportive. One feels encouraged to explore options rather than run from unpleasant realities.There are, thankfully, suggestions for caregiver relief and extensive resources for outside aid involving respite care and vacation/travel arrangements. There is discussion of the potential for abuse (both of caregivers and of care-receivers). End-of-life planning is also covered. There are lists of agencies that may be of help. Our life experience doesn’t generally prepare us for coping with disability as a matter of course. This book might reasonably have been titled “Caregiving for Dummies” for it at least touches on almost everything one might ever need to know. In fact, there is much in the book that I wasn’t even aware was knowable. Writing as a reviewer who has worsening MS, I can’t say I felt light-hearted while reading it, but I would refer to this book without hesitation should I need the knowledge it contains. The possibility of a loved one’s MS worsening is always a threat. It is good to know that someone has taken the trouble to research and organize the information one might require and to present it invitingly. It is, indeed, a comfort.”–Reviewed by Dean Kramer, Essayist, Author of Life on Cripple Creek; Essays on Living with Multiple Sclerosis, Management Team MSWorld, Inc.
“This book should lighten the load for anyone giving or receiving care at home.“–InsideMS, Theodosia Kelsey
“The collaboration between Maria Meyer and Paula Derr with Kimberly Koch and Diane Afes from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in presenting The Comfort of Home Multiple Sclerosis Edition is a huge success. The information in this book is presented in a clear, precise manner that is easy to follow. I realize the book is geared towards multiple sclerosis caregivers but it has so much information that is useable for me, a person living with MS, that it will find a valued spot in my library of books on multiple sclerosis. The tips, notes, checklists, resource information, and the publication guides are all great tools. Anyone living with MS, whether patient, family member or caregiver, will find information that they can immediately use in this edition.”–Teresa Rapozo
The Comfort of Home® Multiple Sclerosis Edition: An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide for Multiple Sclerosis Caregivers (The Comfort of Home®) Highly recommended. Can never have too much help in making life easier for all of us! Valued Spot in my Library of Books on Multiple Sclerosis The collaboration between Maria Meyer and Paula Derr with Kimberly Koch and Diane Afes from the National MS Society in presenting “The Comfort of Home Multiple Sclerosis Edition” is a huge success. Highly recommended.
“The Comfort of Home® : An Illustrated Step-By-Step Guide for Multiple Sclerosis Caregivers by co-authors Maria M. Meyer and Paula Derr RN is a comprehensive and practical guide written for anyone, especially family members, responsible for the care of someone with MS. No experience or knowledge is presumed of the reader; chapters walk one through everything from basic advice for making one’s home safe and comfortable to ensuring a balanced diet and sufficient exercise to avoiding caregiver burnout and much more. Simple black-and-white drawings illustrate key points where a visual aid is valuable in this practical book, which covers matters such as saving money and applying health care effectively as surely as the more labor-intensive aspects of caregiving. Highly recommended.
“Welcome Edition As a care partner and volunteer for the NMSS this book will always be within reach. This book is not only a great resource for our daily living but also a great reference source for all of the people I visit with. Maybe today I don’t need some of the tips offered but who knows what tomorrow will bring. Being able to share what I have learned from this source with other care partners and their loved ones is important. Living with MS can be a constant challenge and demanding for those around the condition but having a good reference book nearby I know that our lives will be simpler since I have a good source of both information and other resources where we can find help. Can never have too much help in making life easier for all of us!”–Valued Spot in my Library of Books on Multiple Sclerosis
“The collaboration between Maria Meyer and Paula Derr with Kimberly Koch and Diane Afes from the National MS Society in presenting “The Comfort of Home Multiple Sclerosis Edition” is a huge success. The information in this book is presented in a clear, precise manner that is easy to follow. I realize the book is geared towards multiple sclerosis caregivers but it has so much information that is useable for me, a person living with MS, that it will find a valued spot in my library of books on multiple sclerosis. The tips, notes, checklists, resource information, and the publication guides are all great tools. Anyone living with MS, whether patient, family member or caregiver, will find information that they can immediately use in this edition.”
Parkinson Disease Edition
“One of the many definitions of comfort is “the capacity to ease well-being”, which certainly applies to our homes when we are seeking well-being. The word, care, may have many meanings in different scenarios, but one I like best is “to treat with dignity”. The Comfort of Home® is truly the best resource for caregivers I have seen. The basic descriptions, pictures, quick bullets of information and tips are just what caregivers need to learn, provided in an easy to “read and see” version. The myriad of helpful topics condensed here is just what caregivers I work with have requested and will benefit from. I highly recommend this resource to all caregivers of those with Parkinson’s disease.”
Gwyn M. Vernon, MSN, CRNP, Neurology Nurse Practitioner and Faculty Member, University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Nursing
“Comfort” is a perfect word for the title of Maria M. Meyer, Paula Derr, and Susan C. Imke’s book “The Comfort of Home.” The authors are accomplished registered nurses as well as caregiver educators and advocates. Ms. Imke contributes a wealth of specialized knowledge of, and experience with, Parkinson disease. “The Comfort of Home for Parkinson Disease” brings comfort and peace of mind to families of people with Parkinson disease. The authors have successfully compiled a complete collection of the latest Parkinson disease-specific information, resources, caregiving options, record-keeping templates, home safety tips and illustrations, and much more. The material is presented with clarity and compassion. Two important and fundamental premises permeate the book: 1) that Parkinson disease affects not only the patient, but the caregiver, and the entire family system; and 2) that PD demands a holistic, team approach to care. This book not only validates, but also elevates, the role of the family caregiver as someone who is intimately involved in, and knowledgeable about, the disease, and who is an integral member of the care team. The book goes the extra mile (actually, miles) to help any family caregiver navigate the systems of health care, home care, and Parkinson disease. I heartily give this book 5 stars.
Diane B. Breslow, MSW, LCSW, Center Coordinator, Northwestern University Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence
The first, “The Comfort of Home® for Parkinson’s Disease” is a guide for caregivers written by Maria Meyer and Paula Derr, RN, with Susan C. Imke, RN, MS, is a real tour de force, and some of its descriptions of Parkinson’s are so good: e.g.”Symptoms can very significantly from one person to another and within the same person from day to day and at varying times of the day. Caregivers should be aware of these functional fluctuations…your person with Parkinson’s will need your help sometimes, but not at others.”–Parkinson’s Association of Ireland
Being a carer, especially of someone with Parkinson’s, can be mentally, physically and emotionally challenging. This practical, hands-on guide is the fourth in an award-winning caregiving series, The Comfort of Home, published by Care Trust Publications provides information to help carers through all stages of Parkinson’s.–EPDA European Parkinson’s Disease Association
“…a masterful job of presenting the multiple aspects of caregiving in a format that is both comprehensive and reader-friendly. …important focus on physical aspects of giving care…”–Parkinson Report
Stroke Edition
“If you are a caregiver – especially someone new to caregiving – you should read this book. It includes many tips and lists of resources… I recommend this book as a gift to a caregiver or someone who is thinking about becoming a caregiver.”–— LIN WISMAN, Strokenet
Newsletter – Caregiver Assistance News
Great Newsletter! Easy to read and full of very useful information. I often have caregivers comment about how much they enjoy getting the newsletter. Full time caregivers are often isolated and this newsletter helps them feel connected to others and our office. The staff at CareTrust Publications are great to work with.–Patricia Parret, Caregiver Project Director, Grand Gateway Area Agency on Aging
Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging has utilized the Caregiver Assistance News for 9 years and has found it to be an amazing way to connect with caregivers monthly. Many caregivers go from receiving the newsletter to receiving services for their loved one. Feedback on the newsletter has always been positive.–Duana Patton, CEO, Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging, Inc.
We have 70 caregivers that receive the newsletter and we have received many comments on the useful articles in the newsletter. –Rick Beechner, Director, Elk County Council On Aging, Inc.
In- Service Newsletter
I have found the monthly in-services to be extremely informative and helpful to the nurses’ aides. They have a requirement of 15 hours per year. I have been with The Comfort of Home since 2004. Great in-service for the staff.–Debra Popovich, RN,MHA, President/CEO, Personal Care Home Health Services, Inc.
We use the Caregiver Assistance News for all our staff at Extended Care for in-service. The information is always informative and helpful and a convenient way to get monthly in-service hours.–Julie L. Smerkar, LM, Program Coordinator, VNA Extended Care
The Comfort of Home” caregiver training and support materials are vital resources for family caregivers of all ages, gender or socio-economic status. It provides caregivers with information that is reliant and can be referred to on a daily basis. The content is clear, easy to comprehend and apply. Various caregivers have expressed that listening to the “Taking Care of You “ CD is not only relaxing, it validates their inner feelings and allows for a personal respite; a time for self. “ The Comfort of Home “ caregiver training and support materials are ideal teaching tools to empower, educate and support family caregivers as they provide care to those in need.–Diane Cooper RN, MEd, GNP, CEO, Caregivers Outreach Ministry Empowerment Inc. (C.O.M.E. Inc.)
We have depended on the Caregiver Assistance News to be our first line on on-going and documented staff training initiative. They are a key element in our Staff Training Resource Guide and are included as an avenue for our caregivers to earn more money in our company’s year-end caregiver award bonus. –Becci Bookner, President& CEO, Family Staffing Solutions, Inc.
The information provided in each issue is very valuable and easy to understand. I share the monthly issues with the nursing department and family members who may need information on a particular topic being addressed. –Julie Lavelle, Resident Services Supervisor, Pennswood Village
The Caregiver Assistance News provides reliable and important information on a variety of topics relevant to caregiving. I recommend it. –Michael Griggs, Manager of Social Work Services, Avenidas Senior Center