At the Coalface: A Family Guide to Caring for Older People in Ireland

A comprehensive guide for Irish families caring for older relatives

Life is all about transitions and learning how to cope with them, and recent decades have brought about a new phase of life for many people – the caring phase – during which they care for one or more parents or older relatives. Caring has proved a challenge for both society and individuals, with many people experiencing a steep and testing learning curve. At the Coalface is for families entering or experiencing a period of caring for an older relative, providing an ‘A to Z’ of family caring. Extensive practical information is combined with guidance on family relationships and the impacts of caring on emotional and physical health. The book is arranged around six core areas:

• An introduction to caring
• Everyday caring and working with the health system
• Finances, managing the home and legal issues
• Getting help, including applying for financial aid and grants
• Relationships and the emotional impact of caring
• Coping and self-care

Written by an author with a decade of family caring experience and who has worked with leading carers organisation Care Alliance Ireland, At the Coalface provides Irish families with the know-how to confidently navigate the caring situation and to provide the best possible home care for their older relatives. Aimed specifically at Irish carers, and including contact details for organisations that can provide help in specific areas, At the Coalface is essential reading for anyone caring for an older relative and for those supporting carers.

Máire O’Dwyer is a writer, editor and trainer who previously worked as a solicitor and software developer. Máire has many years’ experience in the area of family caring through her work with leading carers organisation Care Alliance Ireland. She wrote this book to pass on the knowledge gained from that work and during a decade of caring with her family for their parents.