BOOK REVIEW: Who Cares: A Loving Guide for My Future Caregivers

Dee Marrella. Who Cares: A Loving Guide for My Future Caregivers. DC Press, Sanford, FL: 2005). 264 pages.

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Often, a child with special needs can't effectively communicate his or her own wishes or likes and dislikes. How will caregivers of such a child know what to do in a myriad of different situations? One effective way is through letters or memoranda of intent. This book can complement such documents. Although written primarily for adults to instruct those who may be caring for them should they become incapacitated later in life, it is also appropriate for the parents or guardians of children with special needs.

Author Dee Marrella, who experienced much guilt and self-doubt in caring for her incapacitated mother, has created a book that parents can use to map out in detail the care they would wish their child to receive. Much of the book consists of largely blank pages to be filled in with important information such as "My preferred healthcare providers," "Food I enjoy," and "My clothing sizes."

In addition, there are opportunities to convey to caregivers essential information about who the child is as a person. For example, there are pages to make note of fears the child has, places he or she likes to visit, and people the child especially likes. To help guide readers, Ms. Marrella often supplies her own answers as examples.

For more information on bulk discounts, contact the publisher, DC Press, at (407) 688-1156 or www.focusonethics.com.