Centers for Ending / Caregiving: Research . Practice . Policy (PDF)

Since retiring in 1989 after 45 years as a member of the Yale faculty, Seymour B. Sarason has continued to pursue his many professional interests. Since the year 2000, he has written eight books and has delivered scores of invited and keynote lectures. His work is provides seminal contributions to varied fields including developmental disabilities, clinical and community psychology, ecological and prevention sciences, teacher education, school improvement, and educational reform. His nearly 50 books have been widely read, extensively cited, and provided the conceptual foundation for significant research and program innovation across many disciplines.

Ever curious and reflective, Dr. Sarason uses his own experiences as a resident and patient in an extended care nursing facility to examine staffing, setting, and public health planning issues related to the impending surge in the nation's elderly population. In the process, he brings to light the extent to which the elderly become depersonalized, objectified and the victims, in many cases, of self-fulfilling prophecies concerning their physical, cognitive, and emotional capacities. This volume builds on Dr. Sarason's lifelong commitment to bringing underlying assumptions and their resulting practices into the light to gain awareness and thereby improvement in systems responsible for the care and nurturance of those in need.

From the reviews:“Written as an educational tool for families and/or caregivers who are providing care for an elderly person, this book would be a great reference for nursing homes to teach caregivers how it feels to be dependent on others. It also provides insights into regulatory changes needed to improve elders’ psychosocial satisfaction and autonomy when dependent upon others. … The author is an expert in the psychosocial needs of people … . The author’s real life experiences lend considerable weight to the book.” (Katherine L. Aguilar, Doody’s Review Service, October, 2011)