Though it's not often thought about as an inevitability, that we will someday need to care for another human being during their final days is highly likely. Whether it's a parent, grandparent, friend, or neighbor, we will all likely find ourselves in the important role of caregiver.
"How are people navigating all these different things that you have to do?" asks Leslie Vick, author of Finding Our Way: A Guide on Care, Finances and Helping Through the End of Life Journey. "It's not just the physical part of caregiving, it's a lot of the paperwork, it's going back into their health care, and it's social security numbers - there's just a wide range to caregiving."
Through the book, Vick details the many responsibilities to helping someone at the end of their life. This might include big things like understanding of the person's wishes, DNR requests, details about their will, etc. But it also includes day-to-day details like knowing passwords and caring for pets.
Within all of the guidance is also a constant reminder that personal preferences and choices should be kept in mine. "A lot of people that we are caregiving for come from a generation of your doctor tells you this is the plan, or this is what we're going to do, or take this pill, or do this treatment," says Vick. "There is a time when we can say 'I don't want to take that anymore'... it's okay to push back a little bit, it's okay to keep asking questions."
Finding Our Way can be found at a variety of booksellers as well as online through both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. More information about Leslie Vick can be found on the author's website.
Minnesota Reads is produced at The North 103.3 with funding provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
