Estimates suggest almost half of the adult population will someday be a caregiver, whether for an aging parent, an ailing partner, or a disabled family member. It is a role that tends to fall on people without warning, and almost certainly without preparation or training. Even Dr. Kimberly Fraser, a nurse who ran a large home support business, found it a struggle when her father and husband needed increasing levels of care. In this timely and urgently needed book, she gives readers sound, practical advice on how to meet with humanity and optimism the bewildering array of challenges facing caregivers: where to find help, how to navigate a confusing healthcare system, how to deal with constant demands, how to keep one’s own life from being overwhelmed by new responsibilities. Based on personal experience, prodigious research, and extensive interviews, The Accidental Caregiver is an invaluable resource for everyone concerned for vulnerable people in their lives and communities.

Dr. Kimberly Fraser is an author, speaker, and former Associate Professor at the Faculty of Nursing with the University of Alberta, and Clinician Scientist-Home Care with Alberta Health Services. As a nursing professor she studies and writes about family caregiving, home care, case management, and related health policy. She has used innovative and arts-based approaches in her applied research. As a former Associate Professor, she now devotes most of her full time work to writing and community board work.

Kimberly Fraser's profile page

"I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who is interested in learning more about the family caregiving experience. I’d also recommend it for caregivers as it helps validate their experiences and there are practical things that they can take from each chapter." - Rebecca Parten, Rollin' with Rebecca