The invisibles: unpaid caregivers of the elderly.

Abstract

At a time when hospitals discharge patients earlier, elderly individuals are living longer, and with many chronic illnesses, more family members and friends are caring for loved ones at home. As people continue to age and receive multifaceted health care services at home, concern has arisen about the availability of unpaid family caregivers and their ability to combine employment with care giving. Unpaid caregivers often operate in a reality of inadequate support systems and lack of information and skills. Yet, they manage multiple roles, duties, and responsibilities for supporting the needs of older adults. Often, unpaid caregivers find themselves having to perform unfamiliar and unusual tasks. These may include giving medications, assisting with bathing, dressing, meals and intimate personal hygiene, dealing with transportation, billing and medical appointments, and performing housekeeping and nursing activities (15). Despite the fact that unpaid caregivers have diverse cultural norms, knowledge, skills, willingness, and attitudes, they all have common concerns and needs. They need guidance, someone to listen to them, and a place they can share concerns, express needs, and receive answers. Conceptual and methodological approaches that recognize, acknowledge, and support the complexities of unpaid care giving are needed. Greater access to formal care for unpaid caregivers, a national strategy, local and workplace policies, and other supportive systems must be established.