Caresharing: A Reciprocal Approach to Caregiving and Care Receiving from Aging to Illness to Disability

The word "caregiver" typically suggests someone doing all the giving for a frail, physically challenged, or aging person, who is doing all the receiving. Marty Richards proposes a rebalanced approach of "caresharing." From this perspective, the "cared for" and the "carer" share a deep sense of connection. Each has strengths and resources. Each can teach the other. Each can share in grief, hope, wisdom and forgiveness.

The book's focus is to help caregivers realise that they are not alone in their journey. Richards broadens the scope of the give-and-take relationship to include multigenerational families and faith communities, looking at the strengths each has to offer in the caregiving network. In order to keep the spirit alive, Richards offers a mulitlayered, reciprocal process:

· The Dance of Sharing Care

· Sharing Wisdom: What the Frail Teach the Well

· Sharing Roles: Reinventing Family Roles in Sharing Care

· Sharing "Soul to Soul": A Special Relationship with People with Dementia

· Sharing Grief: Dealing with the Little Losses and the Big Ones

· Sharing Forgiveness: A Key Spiritual Journey

· Sharing Hope and Heart: An Active Process One Step at a Time