If you are lucky enough as an adult to still have parents in your life, chances are very good that you will eventually be providing some level of care for them as they age. Between the rising costs of skilled nursing and the inadequate coverage provided by most insurance, many Americans are discovering that they must take charge of caregiving for elderly family members if they are to ensure quality of life for them.

A growing number of caregivers are additionally dealing with the complex issues of dementia, which can be quite demanding in terms of time and thought. According to gerontologist Dr. Macie P. Smith, author of "A Dementia Caregiver Called to Action: The Journey," statistics show that over 15 million caregivers provide more than 18 billion hours of unpaid care for people with dementia.

And yet, little is available in the way of support for families taking on the responsibility. How can a layperson come to grips with the medical knowledge needed to properly care for a person with dementia, never mind deal with their own emotions about the situation?

Fortunately, we have Dr. Macie’s advice at our disposal. Not only is she an expert in the field, she is herself an experienced family caregiver who learned through trial and error how to make caregiving more manageable. Throughout her short and informative book, she goes beyond the medical aspects to adopt a holistic approach that views dementia not as just a patient’s diagnosis but as a family and community issue.

In short, she believes in treating the patient and the caregiver as a unit, and it is a much-needed shift in approach. As any person who’s dealt with the cognitive decline of a loved one will tell you, the situation in which they found themselves was fraught with a range of emotions from sadness to resentment. And that was on top of learning new terminology, care practices and other information about the disease at hand.

Dr. Macie reassures us that this is not just common, it’s normal. She encourages caregivers to also focus on self-care so they have more capacity to provide care for others.

Another key point in the book has to do with preserving a level of independence for people with dementia. It is important that caregivers learn what the world is like for those they are assisting. Giving them choice and control over even the simplest things like what to wear can help give patients a sense of self-sufficiency at a time when their ability to handle their own day-to-day needs is dwindling.

Dr. Macie takes us through every stage of the caregiving process: from getting a proper diagnosis to what to do with that diagnosis. She tells us what to expect as dementia progresses. She provides tips and tricks for dealing with various aspects of the caregiving journey. And she finishes off the book with a well-curated list of resources where caregivers can turn for help.

Whether you are concerned about a loved one’s mental decline and are trying to convince them to see a doctor, or whether you are already in the thick of daily caregiving, you’ll find "A Dementia Caregiver Called to Action: The Journey" an invaluable guide, especially when combined with Dr. Macie’s previous book, "A Dementia Caregiver’s Guide to Care."