Physical and Mental Health Effects of Family Caregiving
Caregivers are a critical national health care resource. Families often are a primary source of home care and support for older relatives, contributing services that would cost hundreds of billions of dollars annually if they had to be purchased. Nurses’ role in home health care has expanded from being primary caregivers to teaching and assisting family members to provide care. Similarly, social workers now play a critical role in providing advice and support to caregivers. Evidence on the health effects of caregiving gathered over the last two decades has helped convince policymakers that caregiving is a…
