Every carer knows the exchange: the moment you agree to help a parent, your own life quietly begins to detach. You keep the appointments, fill the medication box, cook the meals, soothe the anxieties — and tell yourself that a break can wait. It cannot, and this book explains exactly why, in warm, practical language. Respite: Taking a Break Without Collapsing is a grounded roadmap for adult children who care for ageing parents and are starting to fray. It walks you through the real reasons stepping away feels impossible, how to recognise your own strain before it hardens into ill health, and how to build a genuine break — from three deliberate hours at the start of the week to a supported stay away. Emrys Pemberley Ormerod shows how to assess what your parent actually needs, negotiate with siblings who won't help, choose trustworthy paid care, and handle money and emergencies without panic. Filled with scripts, checklists, and honest permission to put your own oxygen mask on first, this book is about sustaining care over the long years without losing yourself. Part of The Caring for a Parent Library.
Every carer knows the exchange: the moment you agree to help a parent, your own life quietly begins to detach. You keep the appointments, fill the medication box, cook the meals, soothe the anxieties — and tell yourself that a break can wait. It cannot, and this book explains exactly why, in warm...