Caring and Competent Caregivers

Chronic health conditions are the leading cause of illness, disability, and death in the United States today, affecting nearly one hundred million citizens. These conditions cost the economy more than $470 billion a year in direct medical costs, and more than $230 billion in lost productivity.While Americans pride themselves on living in a caring country, society as a whole has not fully prepared for the many challenges presented by chronic illness. This timely book illustrates the caregiving needs to be faced in the next century. Written by individuals associated with the National Quality Caregiving Coalition (NQCC) of the Rosalynn Carter Institute, Caring and Competent Caregivers is a foundation book for use by academicians conducting professional training programs, diverse health care and social service providers on the front lines providing assistance to others, and students entering the field. Incorporating philosophy, social science research, and impressionistic evidence, this book provides a basis for education and practice that is both inspirational and practical.My book, Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers, was written to assist family members and friends who are dealing with the challenge of providing care to someone with a long term physical or mental illness.... While my book also is beneficial to professionals, I thought that another one more specifically directed to those who have dedicated their careers to caring for others was needed. Such a book, I believed, should also explore the issues related to preparing people for work in the helping professions. Caring and Competent Caregivers fills this void. -- from the foreword by Rosalynn Carter