Book Review
Two local authors address the emotional rollercoaster of the in-home caregiver.
caregiver? Whether you are a baby boomer in the core of
the sandwich generation, or a person facing the day-to-
day, demanding responsibility of caring for a loved one
of any age with a disability or failing health, this book,
“As Love Wrinkles”, was written for you. It captures the
depth of every human emotion. As their own mothers
aged, they welcomed them to live in their homes with
hopes of caring for them until their final day. They
shockingly woke one day to realize the mothers they
loved had evolved into mothers with strange thoughts and
behaviors that they were not fully prepared to understand
and deal with. They found themselves adrift in unknown
waters in a boat with a hole in it. As their rose-colored
glasses shattered along with their hope of being perfect
caregivers, they were thrown into a world of chaos of
which the unfortunate outcome would be the loss of
someone they truly loved.
“As Love Wrinkles”
A love story of caregiving
Their individual stories embody two raw confessions of
the reality caregivers are suddenly and overwhelmingly
consumed with, while caring for aging mothers. Their
goal now is to reach the desperate people who have been
thrown into this turmoil and are trying to navigate this
unfamiliar world and come to terms with their conflicting
emotions. The perspective they bring does not come from
a professional standpoint but from the heartbreaking and
demanding front line of being the sole caregiver. These
are their stories of love and commitment tested until the
last breath and longer.
Ann Preston, a former Clifton Park resident, and
Louise Cowan of Saratoga Springs spent years caring
for each of their aging mothers. After years of working
together at Shenendehowa Central School District
and sharing many of life’s experiences, it was the
common commitment of caregiving that solidified their
friendship. Their lives involved a typical career, family,
and home, when suddenly they were thrown into a
24/7 world of being psychologist, elder-care expert,
nurse, and nutritionist, for all of which they were
woefully unprepared. It was this experience that would
ultimately lead to their desire to share with others what
they found to be all too common in today’s world.
Caregiving, especially for an elderly family member,
is a silent epidemic afflicting millions of people in the
United States. While the caregiver is taking care of a
loved one or an aging parent, who is taking care of the
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Louise Cowan
Ann Preston
“As Love Wrinkles” is available at The Book House in
Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany, Market Block Books in Troy,
or online at Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
55PlusLivingGuide.com