More and more people are caring for elderly relatives, so it’s imperative that the healthcare system consider a family-centered approach to care, according to a new report.
The report, which comes from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, notes that nearly 18 million Americans care for a family member who is 65 or older, though the pool of potential caregivers is shrinking. Acting as a caregiver can be extremely draining, both physically and mentally, so it’s imperative that healthcare supports these individuals.
“Ignoring family caregivers leaves them unprepared for the tasks they are expected to perform, carrying significant economic and personal burdens,” Richard Schulz, Ph.D, chair of the committee that compiled the report and a psychiatry professor at the University of Pittsburgh, said in an announcement of the report. “Caregivers are potentially at increased risk for adverse effects in virtually every aspect of their lives--from their health and quality of life to their relationships and economic security.”
Caregivers rarely do so on the short term, according to the report, with a median of five years of care needed. Family members who must assist a patient with three or more tasks a day devote more than 250 hours a month to caregiving, which is equal to almost two full time jobs, according to a Kaiser Health News article about the report.
Despite the fact that caregivers often act as surrogate decision makers, provide medical care at home and juggle complex and typically fragmented healthcare services, they are frequently marginalized or ignored completely in the care delivery process, according to the report. Providers expect caregivers to perform complex tasks--using feeding tubes or catheters, for example--with little or no training, and may exclude them from important decisions. This could lead to a potentially fatal mistake, according to the report.
The report suggests several strategies that healthcare facilities can use to better assist and include caregivers. Medicare, Medicaid and the Department of Veterans Affairs should be modified to screen and identify potential caregivers, according to the report. Economic programs should help support the financial strains of caregiving, according to the report, and other initiatives should be developed to reduce the mental and physical stress these family members face.