Catholic Review of: Six Years of Grace

I immediately related to Jennifer Sokol's Six Years of Grace: Caregiving Episodes with my Mother, because, like her mother, my own elderly mother's name was Agatha and my sister was her caregiver. Jennifer Sokol shares day-to-day experiences in the care of her disabled mother during the final six years of her life. For the millions of people who are caregivers to their aging parents, this book will encourage them in the sacrifice they have undertaken and encourage them to live one day at a time. For those who have not experienced such intense care-giving, they will gain an appreciation for those loved ones, perhaps in their own families, who have said yes to this call from God. The book is profound in its simplicity. Jennifer's Catholic faith sustained her in the journey with her mother and it illustrated the maxim that “with God, all things are possible.” It showed the dignity, dependence and sweetness of her mother and at the same time illustrated how precious her life was.

Through the days which flowed into six years of caring for her mother, the author received many graces, as the title indicates.  One of the graces was found in learning more about the early life of her parents.  During the course of her care, her mother would mention events from the past or simple conditions of her life which gave her daughter insight into what made her mother the woman she was.  Another grace for Jennifer was gaining self-confidence in the care of her mother.  Moving her mother over a hard floor, bathing her, keeping her bedding smooth and tidy--in short, doing all that was necessary to provide for her comfort--was at first a daunting task which she mastered over time. Her mother's suffering was not without merit, because she offered it for others, and surely Jennifer was a recipient of those graces as well.

This book would be a thoughtful gift to give to anyone who is in the position of providing care for an elderly parent or who may do so in the future.