Family physician Dr. Gemaine Owen, a St. Croix native, has long balanced her passions for science and the humanities. A lifelong poet and a Johns Hopkins University alumna, Owen has recently turned her attention to a deeply personal and universal subject — caregiving.
On Thursday, Owen officially launched her latest book, “Caregiving is No Joke,” at the Cane Roots Art Gallery in Christiansted Town. Owen draws from her own experiences caring for her 92-year-old mother and her professional insights from years of performing home and office visits.
“It was important for me because I do home visits. I get a unique look at what’s happening in the home — a lot of doctors do not,” Owen said. “I can see the frustrations, and I can see the struggles. It’s a very difficult task. I thought a lot of people did it well, but until I had to do it myself, I couldn’t fully flesh out all the aspects.”
Owen emphasizes that caregivers often experience their own silent suffering, sometimes to the detriment of their health.
“We have an aging population who are living longer,” she said. “The caregiver sees somebody different than the person they are taking care of every day. A lot of people are suffering from depression due to caregiving. Some die before the people they are taking care of,” she said.
In addition to practical advice, Owen also touched on the power of forgiveness for the person you are providing care to.
“You have to give that person forgiveness whether they ask for it or not,” she explained. “You giving it is a favor to you. Don’t hold out — love them regardless. Do your best.”
Owen has always been passionate about people and uses her experiences to help others navigate the challenges of caregiving.
“It makes you passionate when you can spare somebody something that you went through personally, that someone else went through, or that your mom is going through,” she said. “I want to spare somebody from saying, ‘I wish I had known.’”
Owen is also the author of “Doc, What Would You Do in My Shoes? How to Circumnavigate a Cancer Diagnosis,” a guide that similarly blends medical knowledge with empathy and real-world experience.
Through her writing and work, Owen continues to be a compassionate voice for patients and caregivers alike, offering not just clinical support but human understanding.
Owen’s book can be purchased on Amazon.
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