About the Authors
Joseph A. Ilardo, PhD, LCSW,
and Carole R. Rothman, PhD
Joseph Ilardo, a licensed clinical social worker, and Carole Rothman, a licensed clinical psychologist with post-doctoral training, began their professional careers as college teachers more than thirty years ago, specializing in communication and psychology, respectively. They also maintained private practices for many years.
As children of aging parents—Ilardo's mother is still feisty at 98—they
became aware, firsthand, of the tremendous demands of caregiving, and
decided to focus their efforts on helping others cope more effectively.
Starting with advice on eldercare (Ilardo wrote As
Parents Age, another V&B title, in 1998), they have also written
about general caregiving, focusing on the needs of the caregiver as well
as the person needing care. With Are Your Parents
Driving You Crazy?, they are writing not just for caregivers
but for the baby boomers who will soon be caregivers. The goal is to equip
their readers with the skills they will need to keep from "going crazy."
Teaching and writing on these subjects has brought Ilardo and Rothman national exposure. They conduct workshops and give presentations nationwide, for both lay and professional caregivers. They speak frequently at events sponsored by senior and community centers, Area Agencies on Aging, business organizations, chambers of commerce, and conventions such as the annual conference of the National Organization for Rare Diseases. They have also provided training for professional organizations such as the American Parkinson Disease Association. Their articles and interviews have appeared in Business Week on-line, McCall's, Today's Caregiver, and newsletters including Work and Family Life. Ilardo has twice appeared on NBC's Today show and on a variety of television programs. You can visit their Web page at
www.irccares.com.
When not writing or speaking, Ilardo and Rothman are usually found in the kitchen. Rothman is an accomplished cake decorator whose cakes have been featured in national publications, and Ilardo is an "intuitive" cook, who refuses to measure anything. To work off the results of their labors, they enjoy running, cycling, tennis, and roller-blading. And, in their "spare time," they paint, play the piano, and do the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle.
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