Caregivers provide assistance to someone who is, in some degree, incapacitated and needs help (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2005). The recipients of care live in both residential and institutional settings, and range from children to older adults. Typically, they have a chronic illness or disabling condition and need ongoing assistance with everyday tasks to function on a daily basis (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2006a).
Caregiver demand is partially driven by the steady increase in our older adult population. As the number of older Americans rises, so does the number of needed caregivers (Talley & Crews, 2007). In 2030, when all baby boomers will be at least 65 years old, the population of adults in this age group is projected to be 71 million (Administration on Aging, 2007). The number of people 65 years old and older is expected to rise by 101% between 2000 and 2030, at a rate of 2.3% each year. Unfortunately, however, over that same 30-year period the number of family members who are available to provide care for these older adults is expected to increase by only 25%, at a rate of 0.8% per year (Mack & Thompson, 2001).
Caregiving exacts a tremendous toll on caregivers’ health and well-being, and accounts for significant costs to families and society as well. Family caregiving has been associated with increased levels of depression and anxiety as well as higher use of psychoactive medications, poorer self-reported physical health, compromised immune function, and increased mortality (Kiecolt-Glaser & Glaser, 2001; Light & Martin, 1996; Schulz, O'Brien, Bookwala, & Fleissner, 1995; Schulz & Beach, 1999). Over half (53%) of caregivers indicate that their decline in health compromises their ability to provide care (Evercare & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2006).
Research over the past several decades has yielded a wealth of information on interventions to support caregivers and improve their health and well-being. Some important examples related to family caregivers for persons with Alzheimer’s disease (Belle et al., 2006; Burgio, Collins, Schmid, Wharton, McCallum, & DeCoster, 2009; Mittelman, Haley, Clay, & Roth, 2006).
Good communication with your healthcare practitioner – the physician, nurse practitioner, nurse, physician assistant and others you might see – is essential for good care. The tips below can help improve communication. This leads to better understanding, more accurate diagnosis, and more effective treatment.
You need to give your practitioner information about yourself and your health to help him or her provide quality care. It is also important that he or she explains clearly what you need to do to stay as healthy and functional as possible.
Here are a few suggestions:
Prepare for your appointment
1. Make a list
Visiting a healthcare professional can be stressful, particularly if you’re not feeling well. Stress can make it harder to remember what you need to tell and ask at the visit. So make a list and bring it with you. Write down any health problems you have had or do have now, and any surgery or other treatments you have undergone. Write down the names of any medicines you’ve taken that have caused unpleasant or even dangerous side effects. If you are feeling ill write down all your symptoms and when they started.
Remember to write down any questions about your health that you might have. You can findlists of questions, organized by subject, to ask your healthcare practitioner at the Foundation for Health in Aging’s free senior health website. You can view, download and print out information from this site at www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/questions_trial.asp.
2. Bring all medicines, vitamins, and herbal and alternative therapies with you
Before leaving for your visit, put all of the prescription drugs, medicines bought at the pharmacy, herbs, vitamins, and other supplements you are taking in a bag. Bring them with you and show them to your healthcare practitioner. This way, he or she will know exactly what you’re taking, when, and what doses. This is important because some drugs, herbs, and supplements can interact with medications your practitioner might prescribe. They might also affect the results of certain medical tests.
