Author looks to help caregivers

LENOX – Helping a sick loved one can be very stressful.

A warm and candid new book, How to Be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick, offers wise guidance and sensitive suggestions on how do deal with that very situation.

On July 11, the Lenox Library will host two literary events in honor of best-selling author, speaker and award-winning journalist Letty Cottin Pogrebin to mark the publication of How to Be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick, her latest book.

A literary gathering will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Kemble Inn followed by a talk and book signing at 7 p.m. at the library.

Ms. Pogrebin will meet friends and fans for conversation at the late afternoon literary gathering at the Kemble Inn.

Hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served; individual tickets are $65, or “bring a friend” for $120. All proceeds support the programs of the Lenox Library.

The event is proudly sponsored by Joan Bancroft-Grody; Berkshire Life, A Guardian Company; Berkshire Medical Center; and a. von schlegell & co.

Everyone experiences times when close friends or family members are ill or suffering, and many of us are unsure of what to say or do to offer comfort or assistance. During a recent bout with breast cancer, Ms. Pogrebin became intrigued by the reactions her friends and relations had to her diagnosis, from awkward comments and clumsy situations to the times when her needs were perfectly and wonderfully anticipated.

Realizing that people need and want guidance in dealing with those who are sick, Ms. Pogrebin interviewed dozens of individuals who had been through serious illnesses, seeking insight into the best ways of being a helpful, supportive friend.

Written with warmth, wisdom and even humor, How to Be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick includes ideas for finding the right words at the right times, lots of tips for satisfying visits to the hospital or home, gifts that will truly be appreciated and even handling final farewells with grace.

Both a memoir and a guidebook, this book provides insight into coping with challenging and, sadly, inevitable, situations that we all will encounter.

Ms. Pogrebin is the author of several non-fiction bestsellers, including Growing Up Free, Getting Over Getting Older and Deborah, Golda and Me, as well as the novel Three Daughters. A co-founder of Ms. magazine, she is an acclaimed journalist, accomplished public speaker, longtime activist and widely published opinion writer.

Posted by Kameron Z. Spaulding on July 5, 2013. Filed under Community Events,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry