Product Review

The latest book from Hygeia Media - an imprint of the Oncology Nursing Society - navigates the difficult path parents face when their adult children become seriously ill. In the Shadows: How to Help Your Seriously Ill Adult Child asks the question, what happens when my adult child is in failing health? In the Shadows is a passionate handbook that advocates for the parent not as "extended family" but as an essential support network when an adult is dealing with a difficult health problem such as a cancer diagnosis. Through 10 real-life stories illustrating diverse examples of parental involvement, In the Shadows, written by Patricia Ringos Beach and Beth E. White, cuts through the thicket of uncertainty that surrounds most parents when trying to determine how much or how little to be involved in the care of their adult child, especially when that child has a family of their own. The book provides a unique perspective on post-adolescence parent-child relationships, gives tips on providing support groups, and offers guidelines on understanding the healthcare system. In the Shadows provides adult parents with a guidepost for scenarios that have no real directions while providing a forum for a group of people that are oftentimes left in the shadows. Recommend this book to your adult patients and their parents, or order this book for your institution's reference library.