Alumna’s book aims to help people navigate the process of hiring in-home caregivers for aging adults

Leslie Eckford, who received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work, as well as a nursing degree, from VCU, has co-authored a book aimed at helping people navigate the process of hiring in-home caregivers for aging adults.

“Aging with Care: Your Guide to Hiring and Managing Caregivers at Home” (Rowman and Littlefield, 2018) takes a personal, professional, and sometimes humorous approach to the challenges, benefits, pitfalls and problems of hiring in-home caregivers.

Eckford and co-author Amanda Lambert explore the essential credentials and experience a home caregiver should have, pitfalls to avoid, hiring options and managing costs, and the decisions that go into finding the right fit for a loved one to be able to age in place. The book shares stories and insights from interviews with caregivers and elders, as well as industry experts, to provide the reader with the tools necessary to make the best care choices for loved ones.

Eckford received her bachelor’s degree from the School of Social Work in 1983, her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the School of Nursing in 1985 and her master’s degree in social work in 1995. She is a licensed clinical social worker and registered nurse who has focused most of her practice on geriatric mental health in inpatient geriatric hospital units and community mental health centers.