The Emotional Survival Guide For Caregivers

Caring for a parent whose health is in decline is a deeply meaningful way to express your love and loyalty. But if you’ve come to this website, chances are you’re also struggling with some aspects of your role as a caregiver. Whether you’re tired of clashes with siblings, frustrated that your parent no longer seems to appreciate your help, or confused by ambivalent feelings, you’re not alone. The emotional toll of caregiving is seldom acknowledged, but the costs are tremendous and the potential for burnout is high.

Barry J. Jacobs, Psy.D., has been there—both as a clinical psychologist and family therapist specializing in counseling medical patients and their loved ones and as a child who felt the impact of caregiving on his own family. In his book The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers: Looking After Yourself and Your Family While Helping an Aging Parent , he helps you make sense of the turmoil and teaches you ways to cope with competing loyalties, role reversals, and the vicissitudes of illness.