Family Caregiver Distress

by Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, Ann Choryan Bilbrey, Sara Honn Qualls, Rita Ghatak, Ranak B. Trivedi, Lynn C. Waelde

Series: Advances in Psychotherapy – Evidence-Based Practice - Volume 50

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Get the science on helping reduce stress in family caregivers of people with dementia:

Details the best tools for assessment and explores evidence-based approaches
Reflects on diversity, equity, and inclusion
Includes downloadable handouts

Guidance for supporting family caregivers on maintaining positive mental health

This is the first book that takes a “deep dive” to answer the questions that mental health providers encounter when working with family caregivers. Just what are the unique issues family caregivers face? How does this impact their mental health? What can providers do to help?

Based on research and clinical experiences of the authors, this volume in our Advances in Psychotherapy series focuses on examining the specific issues that caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia face. Practitioners learn about the best tools for assessment and which evidence-based interventions help reduce caregiver distress – including cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness and multicomponent intervention programs.

Resources in the appendix include a caretaker intake interview, and the book is interspersed with clinical vignettes that highlight issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion – making this is an essential text for mental health providers from a variety of disciplines including psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social work, marriage and family counseling, as well as trainees in these disciplines.

From the reviews

“The “caregiver” role can include anything from performing simple routine individual tasks … to providing all-consuming, full-time physical and mental care 24-hours a day. This is when distress becomes a reality and very specialized help is needed. This book guides psychology professionals through the array of caregiver needs and suggests both the types of therapy needed and available resources to answer these needs. From the deep exploration of Alzheimer’s dementia to the less documented and less known forms of memory issues, the book details the needs of caregivers in a compassionate and relatable way. Whether a helping professional with years of experience or a newly graduated therapist seeing their first client, readers will gain a wealth of information from the book. The authors ensure that this book will be a guiding light. 5 Stars!”
Jill N. Littrell, BA, MA, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL, in Doody’s Reviews, October 2023

Praise for the book

“This book is a treasure trove of practical guidance for psychotherapists who work with clients who are caregivers. It is unique, exemplary, clinically relevant, inspiring, and will be required reading on my courses.”
William E. Haley, PhD, Distinguished University Professor, School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

“This book synthesizes decades of research and clinical wisdom into brief, actionable steps, and a telling case vignette to convey state-of-the-art assessment and intervention strategies.”
Barry J. Jacobs, PsyD, Principal, Health Management Associates, Philadelphia, PA; Co-Author of AARP Meditations for Caregivers

“Working with family caregivers is a common area of practice across a wide range of settings. This book delivers essential information and recommendations to practitioners, along with a range of concrete tools for clinical practice. Family Caregiver Distress is both authoritative and highly practical – an essential resource in this area!”
Ann M. Steffen, PhD, ABPP, Professor of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri–St. Louis; Author of Treating Later-Life Depression: A Cognitive Behavioral Approach

“This book is the definitive contemporary, and, above all, humane guide for clinicians wishing to provide the best quality of care when working with people living with dementia and their carers.”
Ken Laidlaw, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, UK

“This book gives a thorough look at how to best work with caregivers – from assessment to direct intervention – with a focus on the unique needs of those in the caregiver role.”
Andrea Deaton, MS, LMFT, Certified CBT for Later-Life Depression Clinician and Trainer, PEARLS Trainer, Riverside, CA

“… Particularly impressive are the acknowledgement of caregivers getting lost in health care and other systems, the attention to the translation of cultural diversity issues into appropriate interventions, and the focus on putting family systems theory into action when working with caregivers.”
Robyn Golden, LCSW, Caring for Caregivers Program, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL

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Family Caregiver Distress

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