Monday, May 9, 2016

Joan's Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder and a Giveaway!


Although I normally feature middle grade or young adult books and authors, every once in awhile I find another author whose work I want to share with you. Joan Y. Edwards is a NC author who recently published Joan's Elder Care Guide drawing from her own life experience caring for her mother, Ethel D. Meyer. It is my privilege to have her answer some questions about her new book. 


How did you get the idea for writing the Elder Guide?

When I was taking care of my mother, the substitute caregivers told me that the plans I left for them made it easier for them to care for her. I thought if it helped them, it might help others to better care for their elders and enable them to relax while someone else cared for their loved one.

Can you give a synopsis?

Joan's Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder to Survive gives you, the caregiver, ways to meet your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social needs and those of your elder to promote healing, well-being, and survival.

Based on the my research and fourteen years of
experience caring for my mother, this book provides 
many resources to find the right place for your elder to
live, explains ways to improve communication to help 
find solutions to problems, and gives organization ideas
for medical, financial, insurance, and legal documents. 
It offers ways for a caregiver to get time away from
caregiving responsibilities and contains information
substitute caregivers must have to keep their elders
safe.

Along with all this, the book explains the signs of the 
end of life, ways to celebrate an elder's life, and gives 
duties of an executor of an estate. It also includes ten 
useful charts to assist in assessing and recording an 
elder's needs and capabilities.

What is the intent for your book? 

My intention in writing this book is to empower the 
caregiver and her elder to survive by finding ways to 
meet their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and 
social needs. I want them to have a sense of well-being.

How is it different from other books on the subject? 

It’s the only elder care guide that focuses on meeting 
the needs of both the caregiver and the elder. My book 
has techniques for getting answers you need from 
health care professionals to care for your elder. My 
book shows how to use a routine to bring about 
calmness for you, the caregiver and your elder. My 
book has charts and lists to help organize information 
needed for taking care of personal, health, legal, 
and financial affairs of your elder. My book tells how 
updating your elder’s needs assessment and organizing 
information in a notebook strengthens your ability and 
the health care professionals’ ability to meet your 
elder’s needs.

Tell us about your path to publication. I know it 
hasn’t been easy!

I submitted my manuscript to three publishers. I submitted 
to 4RV Publishing and received a contract 
from them in 2011 for the book to be published in June, 
2015. Waiting such a long time was difficult. 
Therefore, in the summer of 2013, I asked if there was a 
way to speed up the publishing process. They said if I 
bought the first 100 copies of the book, they would start 
the editing process. Since one editor wasn’t able to 
continue editing, they assigned a second editor. It took 
over two and one half years for the complete edit.


What is 4RV Publishing’s market plan and yours?

My plan is to have book signings, seminars, and 
workshops at book stores, libraries, medical centers, 
churches, or community centers.

4RV Publishing’s plan is to offer to create paperback, 
hardback, and eBooks, if I wished. One was free, I paid
extra for the ISBN number and for the formatting for 
the other two. The eBook will come out in 6 months to 
a year. 4RV attends writing conferences and local book 
festivals and takes copies of its books to sell. They
announce their new books on their blog.

Why is this book needed?

In 2000 during the U.S. Census they counted 35.0 
million people 65 years of age and over in the United 
States. As health continues to improve many of these 
will make it to their eighties and even many will live to 
be over 100 years old. Unless doctors are able to find 
cures for dementia and Alzheimer’s, these 35 million 
people may need someone to care for them. The 
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate 
that one out of five workers balances work and elderly
caregiving responsibilities. This means that as many as 
7 million people might want help caring for their 
parents. Middle-aged adults in the next 20 years may 
end up caring for parents and grandparents. My book 
will help these people find a less stressful way to meet 
their own needs and care for their elders, too.

Thanks for all this helpful information, Joan. I could have used a book like this when I was helping to care for my mother. I hope that it helps many individuals as they care for their elders. Best wishes for its success!

You can order Joan's book through any of these stores:

4RV Publishing Paperback $15.99 includes shipping within the USA http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/joan-y-edwards.php

4RV Publishing Hardback $19.99 includes shipping within the USA http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/joan-y-edwards.php



To celebrate her book's debut, Joan is giving away a 1000 word, pitch, and query letter critique. Leave me a comment by May 12 when I will pick a winner. Make sure you leave your contact information if you are new to my blog!

Joan Y. Edwards is an author, illustrator, and retired teacher in North Carolina. Joan's Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder to Survive is published by 4RV Publishing. She wrote and illustrated picture book, Flip Flap Floodle, and self-published it with BookSurge in 2004. She is currently working on illustrations to self-publish her chapter book, Larry, the Terrifying Turkey.

39 comments:

Linda Phillips said...

Thanks for this review, Carol. Joan, you already know that I am going to share this book with my Stephen Ministry group, and I'm sure all the caregivers will appreciate it.

Carol Baldwin said...

LInda, I'm glad you will share Joan's book. Great application!

sheri levy said...

Joan's book will help many people who must take over the role of care taker. I had many years caring for my parents and a sick daughter, but it wasn't an everyday job. I expect this book will help prepare families for the eventual decline and be able to handle everyone's needs! Congrats on a great job, Joan. And thanks for sharing her book, Carol!

Sandra Warren said...

One more excellent review from you, Carol. Thank you. I haven't received my copy of Joan's Elder Care, as yet but I can already tell that it will be an extremely helpful book for caregivers.

And Joan, thanks for sharing your experience with your mother in such a positive way.

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Linda Vigen Phillips,
Thanks for sharing my book with your Stephen Ministry group. Please thank them for providing a much needed ministry for caregivers, elders, and anyone who needs a good friend to listen and offer compassion and love.

Celebrate you!
Never Give Up
Joan

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Sheri Levy,
Thank you for saying that Joan's Elder Care Guide will help many people who must take over the role of care taker and that it will help prepare families for an eventual decline and be able to handle everyone's needs!

May God bless you for all the love and care you gave your parents and your daughter!
Celebrate you.
Never Give Up

Joan

Unknown said...

Way to go, Joan. Great idea for a book.

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Carol,
Thank you very much for having me as a guest on your blog! It is an honor to be here with you and your readers. I hope that Joan's Elder Care Guide helps many people who are in the midst of caring for an elder.

I am anxiously awaiting the completion of your story, "Half-Truths." Good luck with it!

Celebrate you
Never Give Up
Joan

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks Kristina and Sandra. Since posting this Joan had told me she's going to give away a critique too. I'll enter your names!

Carol Baldwin said...

Thank you, Sheri! I'll enter your name too.

Joan Reid said...

Great interview, Carol. You asked meaningful questions all around, for Joan, for readers, writers, and caregivers.

Best wishes,
Joan Reid
joan.reid@yahoo.com

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks for stopping by, Joan. I'll enter your name into this giveaway!

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Joan Reid,
Thanks for stopping by to say hello to Carol. I'm glad you liked Carol's questions. I agree with you that she asked meaningful questions all around. I appreciate you and your kind words. You're a jewel.

Celebrate you
Never Give Up
Joan

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Kristina Stanley,
Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you think I wrote about a great topic! I hope it helps many people who are caring for their elders.

Celebrate you!
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

Clara Gillow Clark said...

Thanks, Carol, for interviewing Joan. Her book is one that will surely be a great resource for many people. (I've tweeted the post, but don't enter me in the contest this time. I just won a book last month!)

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks for tweeting this post, Clara!

J.Q. Rose said...

Joan, you will be helping countless numbers of caregivers and their loved ones because of this book. Thank you for sharing your research and experience to help others. Glad I could be a part of shouting about your book.

Ann Eisenstein said...

Thanks for sharing this, Carol! I know a little of Joan's journey to publishing this wonderful and much needed resource! I know that I would have loved to have had a copy when caring for my mom. I hope to get my copy in person very soon! :)

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks JQ and Ann for leaving comments. I'll enter both your names into Joan's giveaway.

Linda A. said...

Joan's love and care show through in her attention to details from her own experience as a caregiver and as an author reaching out to help others. This is a great resource to keep handy when caring for those of any age.

Thanks for interviewing at your blog, Carol!

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks, Linda, for taking the time out of your caregiving for Scotty, to comment on my blog. :)

J.Q. Rose said...

Thank you, Carol, for entering my name into the drawing.

Anonymous said...

Carol, a wonderful interview. Joan, I am so very happy for you and to see your labor of love out in the world. I'm in the process of reading JOAN'S ELDER CARE GUIDE to review in a future blog post of mine(so you don't have to enter me) But I just wanted to give my Woohoo and Congratulations to Joan <3

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Clara,
Thank you for writing. I am honored that you believe my book will be a great resource for many people. Good luck withall your dreams.

Celebrate you.
Nevr Give Up!
Joan

Joan Y. Edwards said...

DearJ.Q. Rose,
Thank you for writing here on Carol's blog. Thank you for helping to spread the news about Joan's Elder Care Guide! Thanks for believing it will help coutntless numbrs of caregivers and their loved oes.

Celebrate you.
Never Give Up!
Joan Y. Edwards

Elena said...

Sounds like a very informative read. Thank you Joan and Carol.

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks for stopping by, Elena. This is a book many of us will need at one point or other in our lives.

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Sandra Warren,
Thanks for writing. I'm glad that you believe Joan's Elder Care Guide will be an extremely helpful book for caregivers. You're welcome for my sharing my experience with Mother in a positive way. Mother was gentle, grateful, forgiving, and witty. That helped me a lot. lOVE you.

Believe in you.
Never Give Up
Joan

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Ann Eisenstein,
Thank you for writing. I appreciate your saying that you'd love to have had a copy of my book when you were caring for your sweet Mother. I hope to see you soon!

Believe in you.
Never Give Up
Joan

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Linda Andersen,
Thank you for writing. I appreciate your buying a copy of Joan's Elder Care Guide.
Thank you for saying that my love and care shows through in my attention to details from my own experience as a caregiver and as an author reaching out to help others. I'm glad that you think this is a great resource to keep handy when caring for those of any age.

You are a good friend.
Love
Believe in you
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Kathleen,
Thanks for being happy for me that Joan's Elder Care Guide has been released like a butterfly out into the world. Thank you for woo-wooing and cheering me on during its publication journey!

I'm looking forward to reading your review!

Believe in you!
You are awesome
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Elena,
Thank you for writing. Pleased to meet you here on Carol's blog. I'm honored that you believe Joan's Elder Care Guide will be a very informative read.

Carol's blog is a fun blog filled with great information and resources.

Believe in you
Never Give Up
Joan

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Carol,
Thank you again for the honor of being on your blog. I appreciate it very much. I went to Oklahoma City to the Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. conference this past Friday and Saturday. It was fun. I met the owner of 4$V Publishing there! I even sold some books!

Good luck to your with all of your writing!
You are a good friend.

May God bless you with an abundance of all you need.
Believe in You.
Never Give Up!
Joan

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Carol, I just wanted to update you and your readers. I won the critique from Joan and finally sent it to her last week. She quickly responded and made some fantastic notes and suggestions to make the pitch and excerpt better. I really appreciated her gift. I know it will be helpful as I continue to work on my memoir.

Carol Baldwin said...

Fantastic! So good to know! Thanks for telling us all.

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear J.Q. Rose,
I was honored to read the excerpt of your memoir. I'm glad that my comments were helpful to you. Thanks again for reading Carol's post and for leaving a comment!

Dear Carol,
Thanks again for having me as a guest on your blog! You are a savvy lady about writing!

Never Give Up
Joan

Carol Baldwin said...

This is how the writing community helps each other out! :)

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Carol,
You are so right.

Best Care Home Care said...

A great and professional guide for eldercare. Some caregiver services provider can provide their best eldercare services with 24 hour home care.

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