Mom Fell, Now What? Field Notes from the Front Line of Caregiving - Paperback

by Kathleen Rawlings (Author)

A panicked voice says two words that change everything: "Mom fell."

In an instant, you're not just a daughter or son-you're a caregiver, an advocate, a decision-maker, a project manager, and the emotional anchor holding your family together.

Mom Fell, Now What? is a powerful, story-driven guide for anyone navigating the confusing world of elder care. Kathleen Rawlings shares her real-life caregiving journey-from her mom's first fall, through hospital stays, rehab, senior living, long-term care, and hospice-offering hard-won lessons and practical tools. If you're overwhelmed or unsure what to do next, this book will help you take the next right step.

Inside, you'll learn how to:

• Leverage inpatient rehab, respite care and homecare services
• Bring caregivers into the home when more help is needed
• Understand HIPAA and medical communication to stay informed
• Organize medical, legal, and financial information
• Advocate for an aging loved one with dignity
• Recognize signs of cognitive decline and when memory care may be needed
• Understand hospice-what it is and what it isn't

This is for you if you're caring for an aging parent after a fall, injury, or hospitalization or you're juggling caregiving with work, family, distance, and exhaustion

Written by a corporate learning and process-improvement professional with a "there has to be a better way" mindset, Mom Fell, Now What? breaks down complex systems-while honoring the emotional reality of loving someone through decline. Caregiving is hard. But you are not alone.