Hundreds of books have been written on the concept of care giving, but The Good Caregiver probably is the most practical and useful for someone who works in or is considering the role of care giver. Dr. Kane, a true academic, wrote and published 34 books and 506 research articles; yet, he wrote this very practical book for the general public, combining his extensive research background in aging with what he (and his sister) learned in caring for their aged mother.

The Good Caregiver offers an encyclopedia of background information, resources, and analysis question forms. Topics such as preparing to care and funding it, medical issues, role reversal and family decision-making, daily care, and crisis situations, are thoroughly addressed. Besides being an excellent text on procedures, the book shines as a resource guide, with reference to a huge and invaluable website (“Long term Care: You Decide,” http://ltc.hsr.umn.edu/), a workbook of ideas and assessment tools for beginning and navigating through home-based care giving. The website was developed under Dr. Kane’s direction as a teaching aid and supplement to the use of his book as a textbook.

“Bob Kane has a special connection to UMRA. He served many years as an informal consultant, and in his April 2015 luncheon speech, gave us a capsule of The Good Caregiver. Last year, he not only taught the Care Guides seminar for UMRA volunteers, but led an open workshop on the future of long-term care. He will be greatly missed.”
— Ron Anderson

“As members of the Cares Committee and Care Guides, we were privileged to work through many of the book’s aging issues with our mentor, Bob Kane. For example, to find the best long-term care for a specific situation, it is necessary to visit care sites and agencies. This book provides interview question forms for comparative analysis.”
—Helen Carlson

The Good Caregiver may be purchased from Amazon, Google Books, Barnes and Noble, or other local bookstores. It is also available from libraries.