Racine's Terry Lynch publishes groundbreaking book on eldercare

Update: Lynch will be signing his new book at Wilson's Coffee & Tea, 3306 Washington Ave., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Terry Lynch

Racine's Terry Lynch, an expert in helping older people remain self reliant, has a new book out that's being published around the country.

Lynch's book, "But I Don't Want Eldercare!" is promoted as a "groundbreaking guide" to caring for aging parents in ways that maximize independence will providing compassionate assistance.

Lynch, who can be seen working daily at Wilson's Coffee and Tea on Washington Avenue, specializes in helping older people remain self-reliant and involved in community life. He has been advancing the independent living cause since 1977, first in Washington, D.C. and then as an independent living consultant in Wisconsin. Lynch 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.

Here is the full press release from his publisher:

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."

"But I Don't Want Eldercare!" will be published by The Legal Center of Denver, Colorado on October 15. It will be available for purchase at www.thelegalcenter.org and www.amazon.com.