Janet Dunnett

Dunnett is more than a writer of an engaging and to the bone exploration of the emotional work of caregiving. She's a believer in the role of caregivers to speak up about their experience and especially their knowledge about what quality care looks like. The policy makers and planners need this voice, Dunnett believes. And the silence of caregivers "essential and invisible as oxygen" is a barrier to finding the formula for excellence in end of life care.

So who is this boomer turned author and advocate? Who is Janet Dunnett?

Well, she started her life in a premature nursery in 1949 and is lucky to be alive. She learned early how to be "mommy's little helper" in a family with many younger siblings. She turned 21 in a hut in the foothills of the Himalayas, as a teacher of little boys. She spent the last hour of her career using what power she had to get a hefty grant to urban native youth to tell their story. She was the oldest student by decades to snatch her Masters degree sheepskin and run. Then she was the oldest student in her ESL teacher training class in steamy Guatemala City. People are still scratching their heads about that too. Including Dunnett.

She's got a twin named Judi that finishes her sentences. Together they were the team that eased their parents through the dwindling time. Daughter on Deck (her twin) and Daughter at a Distance (her).

She likes to turn around the questions from "what's the matter?" to "what matters?" and it guides her writing.