Older people (by Terry Lynch)
Terry Lynch is an expert in helping older people remain self reliant. He lives in Wisconsin in the US.
In Control's Simon Duffy met Terry at the 2008 International Conference on Self-Determination in Detroit, Michigan.
They took part in a panel discussion on self-determination and ageing. Terry talked about the
Eight Rules that underlie his strategies for helping older people retain their dignity and independence. Simon was deeply impressed and asked him to write an essay about his approach.
You can download the essay - click on the link in the right hand column. Terry has also written a ground-breaking book:
But I Don't Want Eldercare! a guide to caring for aging parents in ways that maximise independence.
He has promoted the independent living cause since 1977, first in Washington, D.C. and then as an independent living consultant in Wisconsin. He is a member of the AARP-Wisconsin Executive Council and was appointed to the State Board on Aging and Long-Term Care by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle in 2006.
But I Don't Want Eldercare! is published by The Legal Center of Denver, Colorado. It is available for purchase at
www.thelegalcenter.org and
www.amazon.com.
The publisher's press release is below:
Groundbreaking Guide Offers Unique Strategies for Parents' Premature Dependency on Eldercare Services — and on Their Children
In this myth-shattering guide to aging in America, author Terry Lynch unveils a compelling and effective counterpoint to the traditional "caring for your aging parents" theme. "We have more control over the future than we realize," says Lynch. "Dependency and the burden of caregiving are not inevitable – far from it. It is urgent that people understand why."
A remarkable personal journey underlies Terry Lynch's eye-opening "But I Don't Want Eldercare!" ─ Helping Your Parents Stay as Strong as They Can as Long as They Can, from his work with the White House Conference on individuals with disabilities, to a decade as his mother's caregiver. Lynch's approach to self-reliant aging is based on Eight Rules or "counter-myths" that Lynch says we must know in order to make the best possible decisions and avoid disastrous mistakes.
Lynch's creative strategies, learned through years of trial and error, also set this book apart. "Many helpful books tell people what they should know and where to find it," says Lynch. "I take it further by showing readers how to use this information to achieve sometimes unconventional goals. I find that my approach is liberating for older people and their families." Lynch also draws on personal experience to provide compassionate and practical assistance to adult children who are already overwhelmed by their caregiving responsibilities.
"'Caring for your parents' implies passive acceptance of an inevitable decline and burden," says Lynch. "My message is about vitality, hope, and control, even in difficult circumstances. Helping older people live as they wish is not just a good thing to do. If you do it right, your life will be easier and better, too."
Lynch knows this because he has done it himself and helped many others do the same.
"I am filled with renewed hope," said Pam Cord of Kindred Connection, a home-life assistance organization in Atlantic, Iowa. "Just the introduction will help me be a better daughter." U.S. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) calls "But I Don't Want Eldercare!" "a wise and informative guide to decisions that generate a sense of optimism, control, and better well-being."