Thank you, Roz Chast, for writing this book. And thank you for being so honest and providing us with a truer picture of what taking care of aging parents can really be like. And most of all, thank you for reminding us of the importance of finding some humor in the whole process.
Roz Chast, longtime cartoonist for The New Yorker magazine, has gifted us with a new graphic memoir about her experiences in helping her parents as they age, and of her thoughts and feelings at their eventual deaths when they are in their 90’s. While my own relationship with my parents was very different than hers, and while I had three siblings who helped ease the load, I could certainly relate to many of her thoughts and feelings with the entire process. From clearing out decades’ worth of “stuff” to having discussions about money and doctors, her personal wit and humor come through in her drawings and text. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has aging parents—you’re going to face most of these issues at one point or another.
(Editor’s note: You can read an excerpt from the book, read interview highlights, or listen to the full interview with the author on NPR’s Fresh Air here.)