"Drawing partly from an online support group for dementia caregivers, this book demonstrates that this country faces an elder care crisis. Our elder care system rests on the exploitation of workers, mostly women and people of color, who are paid too little to make ends meet and imposes unsustainable burdens on family members"--
Documents the slow progress of change for many African Americans in the South, explores the still little-known experiences of Black household workers in the suburban North, and reconstructs the textured lives that Mable Jones and the many women like her nevertheless carved out in a system that was and continues to be stacked against them.
Offers the first history of fatigue, one that is scrupulously researched but also informed by Emily Abel's own experiences as a cancer survivor. With her engaging and informative style, Abel gives us a synthetic history of fatigue and outlines how it has been ignored or misunderstood by medical professionals and American society as a whole.
Focusing on the evolution of hospice care, the book explores the changing dynamics between doctors and patients as individuals increasingly assert their rights to be informed and involved in their treatment choices. Emily K. Abel, an award-winning medical historian, delves into significant issues surrounding this shift, highlighting the growing empowerment of patients in the face of medical authority. Through her insights, she sheds light on the broader implications for healthcare and the importance of patient advocacy.
Family Experiences of Terminal Care and Irreplaceable Loss
Exploring the emotional landscape of living with a loved one facing a terminal illness, this work delves into memoirs from 1965 to 2014, highlighting the shift from acute to chronic diseases as primary causes of death. Emily K. Abel, a historian of death and dying, examines the profound challenges family members encounter during prolonged periods of grief and care. The book addresses the intricate interplay of political, personal, cultural, and medical factors, shedding light on the complexities of coping with a foreseen death.
A frank portrayal of the medical care of dying people past and present, The Inevitable Hour helps to explain why a movement to restore dignity to the dying arose in the early 1970s and why its goals have been so difficult to achieve.