Wednesday, March 14, 2012

A Bittersweet Season by Jane Gross (available as an audio book on WILBOR)

With a new puppy who needs long walks frequently, I am going through audio books at a fast pace. I came across this book (which is one that is always available) and decided to give it a try. I have been involved in "parent care" for several years now. That is the topic of this book and you can never be too prepared when it comes to this area! As the book went on I realized that this is also an excellent book for anyone who has adult children - at least for those who want to make life easier for those children! As Gross found out, every state has their own rules and mandates. 'Snowbirds' can be caught up in the confusion. You might need to have a living will and a durable power of attorney in each state. Gross has a great writing style that made this an easy book to listen to despite the subject matter. I've decided I need to find a responsible grown up who wants to be adopted by me - it sounds like 'Elderhood' is a pretty scary place to go without someone watching out for you.

1 comment:

Ελλάδα said...

I opened this book, half-expecting to not like it. For some reason, the excerpts that had been printed in the New York Times had rubbed me the wrong way. I had felt that Ms. Gross had been a bit too disrespectful toward healthcare workers. But the book quickly drew me in, and I found that the excerpts I had disliked were less harsh in the context of the fuller story of Gross's mother's decline and eventual death. As someone who has gone through the stress of an elderly parent being placed in a nursing home, there were many times when I found myself nodding my head.