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Solace: How Caregivers and Others Can Relate, Listen and Respond Effectively to a Chronically Ill Person

by Dr. Walter St. John

206 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #07-2518; ISBN 1-4251-5619-3; US$19.95, C$22.94, EUR15.55, £10.31

Practical concise guidelines for helping caregivers when interacting with chronically ill people. Tips on what to do and say and avoid doing and saying when relating to chronically ill people.

About the Book

Nearly everyone has a family member or a friend who is chronically ill, yet tragically few of us feel comfortable when interacting with someone who is chronically ill. Typically, we don't know what to do or say to them.

This book provides specific, practical and helpful guidelines for professional caregivers, family members and friends when interacting with chronically ill people. It contains suggestions for both what to do and say and what to avoid doing and saying in almost any situation you will encounter. It is designed to help you understand and to be understood by seriously ill people needing your help.

The topics are presented in plain language, in a concise, no-nonsense manner. All topics are listed alphabetically for easy reference. Each topic can be read quickly (most can be read in only ten to fifteen minutes).

The contents for the book evolved from a variety of reputable sources including:

• consultations with ministers/priests, hospital chaplains, doctors, nurses, social workers, nursing home professionals, hospice staff, and lay people experienced with caregiving.
• survey of all types of caregivers
• internet research as well as review of books and articles pertaining to chronically ill people.
• author's course lectures, workshops and publications dealing with interpersonal communicating.

About the Author

Dr. St. John is a retired college professor and administrator who lives with his wife Sharon in Old Town, Maine. Earlier in his career he was an executive with the Hershey Foods Corporation, the educational director for a national food association and a public school administrator, teacher, coach and counselor.

The author received his bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona with a major in speech. He earned his doctorate from the University of Southern California with a major in management and a minor in counseling. His post doctoral communications and counseling training included: sensitivity training with the prestigious National Training Lab and Human Relations and communications training with authorities such as Doctor Carl Rogers and Doctor Harry Levinson of the Menninger Clinic.

Dr. St. John's relevant experience for writing this book includes: interacting with chronically ill family and friends, counseling disabled veterans, directing a live-in summer camp for multi-handicapped youth, supervising events at several Special Olympics as well as counseling students in grades 6-12. In addition, Dr. St. John consulted dozens of reputable health care professionals whose insights and experiences are reflected in the contents of the book.

The author has taught interpersonal communications courses for over twenty years as well as presented communications workshops throughout the United States and Canada. He also has numerous communications publications to his credit.