About this item
After a lifetime of strained bonds with her aging parents, Patricia Williams finds herself in the unexpected position of being their caregiver and neighbor. As they all begin to navigate this murky battleground, the long-buried issues that have divided their family for decades -- alcoholism, infidelity, opposing politics -- rear up and demand to be addressed head-on. Williams answers the call of duty with trepidation at first, confronting the lines between service and servant, guardian and warden, while her parents alternately resist her help and wear her out. But by facing each new struggle with determination, grace, and courage, they ultimately emerge into a dynamic of greater transparency, mutual support, and teachable moments for all. Honest and humorous, graceful and grumbling, While They're Still Here is a poignant story about a family that waves the white flag and begins to heal old wounds as they guide each other through the most vulnerable chapter of their lives.
About the Author
After retiring from a long and fulfilling career as a dental hygienist, Trish Williams provided full-time care for both of her aging and ailing parents for ten years. During that decade, her parents faced the challenges of aging with such extraordinary strength and courage, that she began to jot down notes on their lives. The notes grew into stories, and the stories into her poignant memoir, While They're Still Here.
Her book is an honest and humorous revelation of the clashing and healing between a Baby Boomer and her Greatest Generation parents, as the roles of parent and child shift with aging. Interlaced with revelations of her parents' pasts, she faces the struggles and rewards of caregiving with grace and grumbling, as the family learns to accept each other for who they were and who they became.
Trish lives in Olympia, Washington with her spouse, Katy Murray. She'd love to hear from you and can be reached through her author website: www.patriciawilliamsbook.com.
