Get Ebooks The Art Of Conversation Through Serious Illness: Lessons For Caregivers
Every day, thousands of people receive a diagnosis of serious, life-threatening illness, and their families and friends suddenly become caregivers. Despite the best of intentions it is not always easy to communicate well under these circumstances, or find deep empathy for something one has never before experienced. When is it best to speak, and when to be silent? How can someone provide real comfort, and how can relationships with loved ones facing serious illness be enhanced in this most difficult time? This book is about how to be an encouraging caregiver and friend under the most difficult circumstances, when the possibility of death is all too real The authors believe that open dialogue must not be avoided until the last minute when opportunities will be limited, but that caregivers and loved ones can embrace this time, mortal time, honestly as a way to sensitively and compassionately engage with those for whom a central fact of life is realized--that all of our lives are time-limited. In The Art of Conversation Through Serious Illness, the authors consider how to best listen to and speak with one facing life-threatening illness, with lessons on being a primary conversation partner, becoming properly empathic and receiving empathy, maintaining everyday conversation, using platitudes appropriately, understanding healthy denial, and talking about dying. Offering bedside guidance usually only available to professionals and peppered with insightful anecdotes from the authors' own experiences, this gentle, succinct book is appropriate for anyone going through this uniquely difficult yet universal life experience.
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1 edition (April 29, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0195389220
ISBN-13: 978-0195389227
Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 0.6 x 5 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #864,517 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #96 in Books > Textbooks > Medicine & Health Sciences > Allied Health Services > Caregiving #98 in Books > Textbooks > Medicine & Health Sciences > Medicine > Clinical > Hospice & Palliative Care #175 in Books > Medical Books > Medicine > Hospice Care
I read this book at a time that I was losing my Dad to cancer. My Dad was talking about dying and how hard it was to sit and think about dying. This book gave me a new way to listen to my Dad's conversations and a new way to respond to his words about dying. It helped me to read about other experiences from care takers, health professionals and from the people that are going through this. I think it helps just to know that other people feel the same way you do. After I read the book I passed it along to my 3 children. They all remarked about how it helped them to know that other people reacted to some of the situations the same way they did. This book is full of helpful insights and knowledge. Thank you Dr. McQuellon and Michael Cowan for taking the time to write this book to help people like me.
For someone who is in her twenties who has not had much experience with death, Richard McQuellon's book, " The Art of Conversation Through Serious Illness" has deeply moved me and the words of wisdom that he has shared has opened my eyes. When I lost my grandfather back when I was a teen, I knew nothing of this sense of time that we are given on this Earth. I only felt the sense of urgency that death brings that Dr.McQuellon speaks of. Even after all this time, this book really resonated with that particular event in my past. It allowed me to see and understand human behavior, how my reaction to death was similar or different from other members in my family. Even though "death" may be a heavy subject to talk about and it may be that we as a society only bring up death when it's right there in front of us-- Dr.McQuellon allows us to see that in this world we should be honest and compassionate human beings and that even in our most trying times that we should always be here for one another with open arms. I have learned a lot from this book, it was an easy read with great and very real personal experiences that Dr.McQuellon and his co-author Dr. Cowan shares with their audience. It is a book that not only taught me how to cope with a very difficult but "universal experience" but also how to just be a better friend.
I enjoyed reading Richard McQuellon's wonderful book, "The Art of Conversation through Serious Illness." I've gone through it several times to try to absorb all the wisdom he and his co-author Michael Cowan offer.One thing that particularly resonated with me is how applicable much of what is discussed in the book relates to everyday "non-mortal time" life: listening carefully, responding thoughtfully, being empathic, timely use of platitudes and encouragement, and the compassionate power of silence.I will keep this lovely, easily-read book handy for future refresher readings, along with other works that have helped guide me in recent years.
This book is invaluable to both health care workers and loved ones supporting people with devastating illnesses. I began to implement the lessons/wisdom that I drew from this concise yet eloquent resource almost immediately. Highly recommended!
The Art of Conversation Through Serious Illness: Lessons for Caregivers Conversation: A Comprehensive Tool For Mastering Small Talk, Building Trust and Forging Relationships (Conversation Tactics, Conversation Starters, Crucial conversations) When Someone Has a Very Serious Illness: Children Can Learn to Cope with Loss and Change Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness Hans Ulrich Obrist & Marina Abramovic: The Conversation Series: Volume 23 (Conversation (Verlag Der Buchhandlung)) Starting Point Conversation Guide Revised Edition: A Conversation About Faith Cocoon of Love for Cancer Caregivers: Get Through the Tough Times Oil Pastel for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Painter Oil Painting for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Painter The Mad Art of Caricature!: A Serious Guide to Drawing Funny Faces Lessons in Typography: Must-know typographic principles presented through lessons, exercises, and examples (Creative Core) Recalling Our Own Stories: Spiritual Renewal for Religious Caregivers The Survivorship Net: A Parable for the Family, Friends, and Caregivers of People with Cancer Childhood Leukemia: A Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers (3rd Edition) Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers: A Curriculum of Respectful, Responsive, Relationship-Based Care and Education Home-Visiting Strategies: A Case-Management Guide for Caregivers (Social Problems and Social Issues (Univ of South Carolina)) The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers: Looking After Yourself and Your Family While Helping an Aging Parent Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers Dementia: The Journey Ahead - A Practical Guide for In-Home Caregivers Social Work in Oncology: Supporting Survivors, Families, and Caregivers
