Caregiving in America: Understanding, Navigating, and Transforming the Most Important Responsibility

Caregiving in America is a comprehensive, practical guide for the millions of families who suddenly find themselves responsible for someone else's care. Drawing on Lance A. Slatton's personal caregiving experience and years of advocacy, this book helps readers understand what caregiving really looks like in modern America--unplanned, demanding, emotional, and deeply important. It explains how caregiving begins, why so many people feel unprepared, and how family caregivers become the hidden workforce holding the healthcare system together. Inside, readers will find clear guidance on navigating the healthcare maze, understanding burnout and compassion fatigue, managing the financial realities of care, supporting someone living with dementia or other complex conditions, and handling legal planning and decision-making. The book also addresses caregiver mental health, effective advocacy, transitions, grief, and what life can look like after caregiving. Designed to be used as both a reference and a workbook, this volume includes national and state-by-state resource directories, worksheets, checklists, assessments, planning tools, and an expanded glossary. It is written for spouses, adult children, friends, neighbors, and anyone who has been called into caregiving without warning. Honest, practical, and supportive, Caregiving in America gives families the information and confidence to ask better questions, make informed choices, and feel less alone on the journey.