Episode #385: Juggling Eldercare & Childcare with Host Sandra Beck

Sandra Beck and Robin Boyd of Military Mom Talk Radio speak with Leslie Eckford and Amands Lambert who are pleased to announce the publication of their book, Aging with Care: Your Guide to Hiring and Managing Caregivers at Home. Tips on what to look for in a home care agency, how to protect your elder from fraud and theft, how to know when it is time to consider assisted living. Interviews with care providers, elders and home care agencies. Lambert and Eckford have done an amazing job of bringing clarity to an issue that is often confusing and emotionally distressing, yet so important given today's aging and longevity trends. Through the use of real-life anecdotes, as well as their professional skills and personal experiences, they guide readers through the process of selecting a caregiver most appropriate for their individual circumstances. This is a must read if you're facing such difficult decisions, even if you think you already know the best path to take. (Rob Pascale, Ph.D. author of The Retirement Maze and Making Marriage Work.") Amanda Lambert is the owner of Lambert Care Management in Salt Lake City, Utah which provides on going care management and consultation for older and disabled adults. Amanda's career started with managing a small Elderhostel program in New Hampshire and she never looked back. She has worked in home health, mental health, and as a professional guardian. She has a particular interest in how to age with purpose, health, and meaning and is always seeking articles and research related to those subjects. Amanda is an avid hiker and world traveler, and enjoys spending time with her parents and the rest of her family and friends in the Salt Lake City area. As a child, Leslie Eckford spent many hours with her great-aunt, her great-uncle and her grandmother who lived together in the same house as they aged. With these family role models, aging in place and living at home with care seemed a natural and sensible solution for growing old with dignity. In her 30 year career as a social worker and RN, Leslie gravitated toward geriatrics and mental health. She has worked in geriatric and adult psychiatric inpatient hospitals, home health and in community mental health for those 55 and older. As a sandwich generation daughter and mother, she has managed the home care for her own aging parents in another state while raising her 2 children. Her professional experiences and her role as a family caregiver combine to provide a unique perspective for approaching and solving issues in home care. In Aging with Care, Leslie and her co-author Amanda Lambert are able to guide readers to make informed decisions for an often challenging part of family life. Website: www.mindfulaging.com