Caregiving: The Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss, and Renewal

by Beth Witrogen Mcleod

Book Overview

With the ageing of the baby boomers and lifespans increasing for the senior community, caregiving is becoming an ever more important topic. Beth McLeod examines the phenomenon of the process in this book. Interweaving her own story of caring for each of her dying parents with the touching stories of other caregivers, it provides people who find themselves in such a situation with practical advice and wisdom from an expert with unquestionable credentials...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471254088
• ISBN13: 9780471254089
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A highly compelling and poignant book for all of us.

Beth Witrogen McLeod's book Caregiving The Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss, and Renewal is a must read for any person taking care of an ill loved one, whether they are a child, spouse and/or aging parent. My interview with Beth revealed a strong woman with a fierce detrmination to help other caregivers make the most of a very painful situation. Beth includes her own personal journey along with the stories of hundreds of people she has met online in her chat groups or in person during her many public appearances in her incredible book. As the creator and editor of HotFlash! a woman's online perimenopause/menopause magazine and online support group, I have found women in the same place as Beth. She has described so well in her book the guilt, the pain, the sorrow and yes, at times, the joy of taking care of a sick loved one. In attempting to find hope and love in a truly difficult situation, Beth guides us to make good decisions not only for the person needing care but for the person herself. She pulls back the curtain on this often overlooked yet important topic.This is a must read for anyone taking care of a loved one and for the rest of us who will one day be in these extraordinary shoes.

A beautiful, and inspiring book that has touched our hearts.

Beth has been there for all of us as the head of our "Caregiving" support group. Her experience and knowledge has helped us through, and her beautiful book has helped us know, why she is so caring of others. A must read for all CAREGIVERS.

Powerful and essential, heartfelt and moving

In lyrical prose, Ms. Witrogen shares her personal experiences and deep explorations into the myriad aspects of caregiving. Her honesty and deft touch make accessible and acceptable the essentially human but painful topics of loss, dependency, desolation, and dying. In sharing her own reflections and learning and by allowing those she met along her own path to speak in their own words, readers can encounter themselves in caregivers' stories, musings, doubts, regrets, and ultimately, their hardwon victories and spiritual growth. We are all of us faced with the certainty of aspects of the journeys illuminated by Ms. Witrogen; perhaps with her perspective and guidance, our individual paths can be more fully conscious, grounded, and loving for ourselves and for those we care.

A manual for finding comfort with the uncomfortable

Please read "Caregiving: The Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss, and Renewal," by Beth Witrogen McLeod (John Wiley and Sons, 1999). This extraordinary book presents the most challenging aspects of giving care - adults caring for their infirm or dying parents, spouses, and others - with incredible compassion and grace. I have never read a book which made me feel as comfortable with the uncomfortable as has Beth's. Through her own experience with dying parents while an editor with the San Francisco Examiner Magazine, Beth began a series of "Caregiver" articles which included stories, suggestions, and resources for those going a similar life challenge. Beth's journey became a full-time commitment, resulting in this wonderful book.In "Soul Keeping," she writes: "It can be necessary to uproot a parent, not just for physical well-being but for preservation of their very spirit. For it is not just a body that we are asked to care for: the unspoken role of every caregiver is guardian of the soul, and this prospect can be the most frightening. For where does well-being come but from within? Where does the giving come but from compassion? We are asked not only to be gatekeepers but especially soul keepers, preserving the best in our parents and inheriting the wisdom of their experience. When we are shepherding their lives, we had best be mindful of their spirits as well."As instructive as it is moving, "Caregiving" includes action steps designed to assist those facing the many overwhelming challenges of caring for loved ones. It is a manual of compassionate care, and a wonderful gift for yourself.

A "Must Read" book on Caregiving Love & Joy of Life Renewal

Every adult should read this book. It is heart warming and inspirational; practical and thorough with all aspects of caregiving. McCleod plumbs the depth of the soul challenged with caregiving. Her personal story of loss, the many poignant tales of caregivers, helpful advice from professionals, and the spiritual transformation that occurs with the care and loss. It also is a glorious reaffirmation of the joy of life that continues for the caregiver...even after loss. As Rosalyn Carter said: "There are only 4 types of people: those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers, those who receive care, and those who will be caregivers in the future!" This book must be read and re-read ....it will inspire you as you learn what true love and commitment is, the innermost core of you, and finally, you will cherish the stories of caregivers who were changed forever as they resumed their lives after loss. This will be a landmark book on the Rite of Passage and the Human Spirit. It is a worthy adjunct to Gail Sheehy's book of the Rites of Passage. Thank you, Beth McCloud