Laurel's Kitchen Caring: Recipes for Everyday Home Caregiving

Rating:
Summary: Help with caring and feeding of loved ones
Review: A dear friend lent me this book. I was very pleased when I read it. Good ideas and pleasant relaxing style made it a book I want for my permanent library. I would recommend this book to caregivers who need some ideas...it seems we all have someone who, at some time, needs our help.

Rating:
Summary: laurel & carol have done it again
Review: as a long time fan of laurel's kitchen, i bought laurel's kitchen caring just to add to my library, never dreaming how helpful i would find it. since i bought it, i have nursed my daughter through a frightening bout of mononcleosis and my son through pneumonia - at 16 and 14, this is really the first time either of them has been sick, for which i give credit to their healthy vegetarian diet. this book also was a support for my next-door neighbor in this past year as she nursed her husband of fifty-eight years at home as he was dying of cancer and to my girlfriend, who is trying valiently to keep her mother nourished as she dies at home of cancer. the broths, soups, custards and teas have been thoroughly appreciated by all, as have the caregiver's brownies, which i have shared with numerous friends donning the temporary mantle of home-nurse. the lasagna al forno is like an old friend, but enchiladas petaluma, a new offering, has been tremendously popular with those with whom i have shared the recipe, even a couple of seemingly implacable carnivores. the commentary that goes with the recipes serves, at least for me, as an excellent substitute for a care-giver's support group. if you enjoy cooking, and even use it as therapy, this is a wonderful book to keep at your fingertips, ready for the day you are called to assume the role of caregiver on either a short or long-term basis, which, with the way insurance companies work these days, may be sooner than you think! laurel, carol et al. have done it again!

Rating:
Summary: laurel & carol have done it again
Review: as a long time fan of laurel's kitchen, i bought laurel's kitchen caring just to add to my library, never dreaming how helpful i would find it. since i bought it, i have nursed my daughter through a frightening bout of mononcleosis and my son through pneumonia - at 16 and 14, this is really the first time either of them has been sick, for which i give credit to their healthy vegetarian diet. this book also was a support for my next-door neighbor in this past year as she nursed her husband of fifty-eight years at home as he was dying of cancer and to my girlfriend, who is trying valiently to keep her mother nourished as she dies at home of cancer. the broths, soups, custards and teas have been thoroughly appreciated by all, as have the caregiver's brownies, which i have shared with numerous friends donning the temporary mantle of home-nurse. the lasagna al forno is like an old friend, but enchiladas petaluma, a new offering, has been tremendously popular with those with whom i have shared the recipe, even a couple of seemingly implacable carnivores. the commentary that goes with the recipes serves, at least for me, as an excellent substitute for a care-giver's support group. if you enjoy cooking, and even use it as therapy, this is a wonderful book to keep at your fingertips, ready for the day you are called to assume the role of caregiver on either a short or long-term basis, which, with the way insurance companies work these days, may be sooner than you think! laurel, carol et al. have done it again!

Rating:
Summary: Reassurance for the caregiver
Review: Laurel Robertson sounds like a wise, nurturing grandmother as she encourages the cook/caregiver, provides special suggestions for children's food and queasy eaters, and offers practical ideas for dealing with odd schedules and restricted diets. The use of some herbal remedies and teas is discussed, as well as hints for keeping the caregiver healthy during this often stressful time. Many of the recipes are followed by a list of variations whereby you customize for the patient by adding (flavor/protein/calories) or subtracting (dairy/fat). Brian Ruppenthal is a registered dietician and provides guidelines for keeping food hot enough or cold enough to be safe as well as nutritional information throughout. It makes me feel good just to have this book on the shelf so the ideas and inspiration are at hand for those inevitable times when good, simple food is important but hard to think about.

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Summary: Laurel's Kitchen Caring is far more than a recipe book.
Review: This is a book that has comforted me with both good information and practical ideas about supporting others. In fact, it's so good that I've given "my" copy away twice! (I've already ordered a replacement.)

It's also a good focus for visiting someone who needs caregiving--especially if by visiting, you can provide the caregiver with the chance to take time off. By taking the book along, you and the person you are visiting will have the opportunity to talk about something other than the illness or situation. The recipes and the narratives which introduce them have triggered some amazing discussions with people. Talking with the person in this way has allowed me to do something practical and to know in advance that my efforts will be welcome.

As a licensed social worker, I am aware that not all ills can be fixed. But love and caring can continue for the entire journey, and this cookbook maps out many good ideas for doing so. Aloha, Laurel!