from National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
Nearly eighteen million people in this country
are caregivers of an older adult, usually a
family member, and the need is growing
significantly. That is in a new report from the
National Academy of Sciences, Engineering
and Medicine. It notes that being a family
caregiver can affect the mental, physical and
financial health of the caregiver and calls for
action to provide information, training and
support to carry out their responsibilities. The
report urges changes in healthcare systems to
include family caregivers in treatment
decisions and care planning. It says most
state governments have yet to address the
challenges of caregiving for older adults, and
the federal government, too, should develop
new programs to address the needs of family
caregivers.