Dn. Mark contends that when making the decision to become the primary caregiver, you must do so with your eyes wide open and at least some idea of what you're getting into.

Dn. Mark continues his discussion of what to consider before making the decision to become a caregiver.

Being a primary caregiver while working full time is a challenge in itself and even more so during the pandemic. Elaine Varelas guides on how to best keep your family members safe while maintaining your work responsibilities.

The post As both a full-time employee and a primary caregiver to one of my family members, I am worried about potentially exposing my family to COVID. Is there anything I can do? Elaine Varelas guides appeared first on Boston.com.

Washington — In light of its recent survey of family caregivers that shows 67% struggle to balance work with caregiving duties, AARP is calling on employers to create “friendly and supportive” policies and benefits.

Effective medication management is crucial for ensuring timely pain and symptom control at the end of life. Dying in pain is a major concern for patients, yet some find less effective pain control at home. Fam… Read the full article ›

The post Family caregivers’ administration of medications at the end-of-life in China: a qualitative study was curated by information for practice.

The pandemic has taken a massive toll on people's mental health. But a new report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms what many of us are seeing and feeling in our own lives: The impact has been particularly devastating for parents and unpaid caregivers of adults.

Two-thirds of survey respondents who identified as unpaid caregivers said they experienced mental health challenges during the pandemic, such as symptoms of anxiety or depression, or suicidal thoughts.

Only one-third of people with no caregiving responsibilities reported the same symptoms.

Of the more than 10,000 survey respondents, more than 40% identified as being unpaid caregivers.

"What is striking here is just how widespread unpaid caregiving responsibilities are in the population and how much of a burden and a toll these responsibilities" are having, says Shantha Rajaratnam, a co-author of the study and a psychologist at the Turner Institute of Brain and Mental Health at Monash University in Australia.

The study also found that people who care for both children under 18 and adults — many of them part of the sandwich generation — are faring the worst, with 85% of this group experiencing adverse mental health symptoms.

"It's an extremely important study," says psychologist Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, professor emeritus at Stanford University who has researched family caregivers and their challenges.

The study is the first to document the problems caregivers have experienced during COVID-19, she notes, and underscores "the importance of paying attention to caregiver issues, caregiver mental health" and the need for education and resources to better support them.

The contrast between caregivers and others is stark

The study, part of ongoing research by The COVID-19 Outbreak Public Evaluation (COPE) Initiative, is based on surveys conducted in December 2020 and February-March 2021.

More than half of those who identified as caregivers said they had experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression, or of disorders like PTSD related to the stress and trauma of COVID-19.

A significant number of caregivers said they had contemplated suicide. Nearly 40% reported having passive suicidal thoughts, meaning "wishing that they had gone to bed and didn't wake up," says study co-author Mark Czeisler, a graduate student at Monash University and a research trainee at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

And more than 30% had seriously considered taking their own life — about five times the number of noncaregivers, the study found.

Across the board, mental health impacts have been more severe for people who care for both children and adults. Half of this group said it had seriously considered suicide in the past month.

The pandemic worsened the challenges caregivers face

Even before the pandemic, being an unpaid caregiver was stressful and associated with a higher risk of mental health issues, says Gallagher-Thompson. The COVID-19 pandemic has made things even harder.

For instance, the pandemic has taken away many formal and informal sources of support for caregivers.

That was the case for Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite. She's a Boston-based child psychiatrist and lives with her husband, her mother, her husband's father and two sons, who are 4 and 6.

Before the pandemic, her father-in-law, who has dementia, went to a day program for seniors with cognitive decline. Her mother, a survivor of breast and lung cancers, went to physical therapy twice a week, doctor appointments and met with friends.

When the pandemic hit, they lost those services and social support — at the same time Christian-Brathwaite and her husband began working from home while taking care of their sons and parents.

Life at home became much more complicated. Her sons developed behavioral problems with the transitions and stresses of the pandemic. Her mother struggled with chronic pain, and was hospitalized during the pandemic. And there were days when her father-in-law was confused, disoriented or aggressive.

"Many days I was walking around on edge waiting for something to happen because our entire setup was so very fragile and vulnerable," says Christian-Brathwaite. "It's been exhausting."

And her mental health has suffered. "I certainly was dealing with insomnia," she says. "I was short tempered. I was more irritable. I didn't have the same tolerance for things."

More support needed to help caregivers cope

The new study highlights the extent to which unpaid caregivers have struggled during the pandemic, says Gallagher-Thompson.

"There are some serious issues here that shouldn't be ignored," she says.

And yet caregivers are often ignored by the health system, which is set up to focus only on patients.

"Family members are rarely asked, 'How does this affect you? What is difficult? How can we help you? How can we support you in being able to carry out your role, your tasks, your responsibilities?'" Gallagher-Thompson says.

As the new study shows, support can make a big difference — respondents who could rely on others for help with caregiving had a lower incidence of mental health symptoms.

So it's important to educate and support caregivers. For example, physicians can start by screening their patients' caregivers for mental health symptoms and provide more resources to those who need it, says Gallagher-Thompson.

Christian-Brathwaite hopes the new study will help physicians recognize that family caregivers are just as important to consider while treating patients.

"We really need to take a step back and look at the village that's around them because our patients can't be successful without having the support from family," she says.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The demand for family caregivers for adults who are 65 or older is increasing significantly, and family caregivers need more recognition, information, and support to fulfill their responsibilities and maintain their own health, financial security, and well-being, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

The lack of supportive policies for families in the United States, such as paid parental leave, has serious implications for health equity, as it affects families’ overall health and financial stability, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

MrMIND explains that it has developed an artificial intelligence caregiver robot for senior citizens who live alone who find it difficult to get by due to the lack of welfare or older people who are struggling financially and emotionally.

The National Institutes of Health is funding a study through SilverBills and the University of Denver's Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging to provide a free year of bill management help & services for dementia or Alzheimer's caregivers.

Empowering Caregivers: Building Community through Advocacy, Collaboration, and Self-Care

Those seeking private-pay home care can now safely and securely connect with local home Care Providers and enjoy potential savings of up to 50% over traditional agencies.

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division upheld the denial of a caregiver’s request to amend her complaint as well as the dismissal of her claims against her alleged employers. Case:…

For parents considering autism interventions for their children, evaluating treatments can be daunting. Experts talked to The Times about what to watch for.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: Parents of younger school-age kids are also making some tough decisions after President Trump said last week that he would put pressure on governors and other officials to open schools in the fall. So with no clear guidance on how to reopen safely, school districts and families have been scrambling to figure things out for themselves. For students living with extended family like grandparents, the question of returning to school is even more fraught. Because of age or preexisting conditions, those family members are most vulnerable to the most serious effects of the virus. Some 2.4 million children in the United States live in a household headed by grandparents. Keith Lowhorne is a grandparent caregiver for his three grandchildren, ages 6, 5 and 3. He's taking care of them along with his wife, and they live just outside of Huntsville, Ala. And he is with us now. Hello, Mr. Lowhorne. Thanks so much for joining us. KEITH

Penn State is launching a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) for employees who serve as caregivers for other individuals in their lives, including family members such as elders or children of any age who are unwell, or have special needs or disabilities. The new ERG, called Penn State Cares and is open to employees at all campuses, seeks to create a workplace where caregivers can support each other, use and expand existing university resources, and enable employees, who are caregivers, to thrive and grow.

The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, in partnership with the Department of Defense, has launched a new parent-education module designed to help parents and caregivers navigate the journey with their children who are neurodivergent or who have autism spectrum disorder.

NEWARK (Nov. 14, 2022) – The Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD) is using the findings from a report based on caregiver focus groups held late last year across the state to enhance its current supports and develop a new approach to caregiver services. This includes the formation of the […]

New campaign underway to highlight support, services available to First State caregivers NEW CASTLE, Del. (Jan. 30, 2023) — The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has launched a new campaign designed to raise awareness around the many resources available to those who care for and support an older adult or someone living […]

Background:

Higher trust in healthcare providers has been linked to better health outcomes and satisfaction. Lower trust has been associated with healthcare-based discrimination.

PERSPECTIVES :30

AARP The Magazine spent 24 hours filming the emotional day in the life of caregivers across America

Aspen Dental Practices Remind Patients, Caregivers About Importance of Regular Oral Care for Mature Adults in Recognitio

The American Legion Celebrates Signing of Veterans Caregivers and Families Relief Act

Florian Zeller’s directorial debut turns the lens on the everyday reality of caring for an elderly parent with dementia

The demand for family caregivers for adults who are 65 or older is increasing significantly, and family caregivers need more recognition, information, and support to fulfill their responsibilities and maintain their own health, financial security, and well-being, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

The lack of supportive policies for families in the United States, such as paid parental leave, has serious implications for health equity, as it affects families’ overall health and financial stability, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

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The digital health startup will now share revenue with patients and caregivers who manage complex chronic conditions using their platform

Olympic grappler, former MMA fighter, gym instructor and Intermountain caregiver knows how to overcome obstacles.

Medicare Estimates that there are Sixty-Six Million Caregivers in the United States

Nurses worry about a lack of masks and gowns with more elective procedures.

Statements Highlights: Adverse social factors, such as insurance status, food insecurity, lack of funds for medication and others, may lead to worse heart failure outcomes. Caregiving by family and friends of people with heart failure is increasingly...

It happens slowly, like that metaphorical frog you’ve heard about. Possessiveness and controlling behavior in TBI caregivers is something that creeps up on you, and I suspect it is common — not because people are trying to be annoying, but because they care so much and want to see that their loved one is treated well in every respect.

Adam offers advice to caregivers of a loved one with TBI and/or PTSD — from simply trying to see how that person's life has changed to helping him get involved in confidence-boosting activities.

The gravest threat posed by the coronavirus is that high-risk groups like the elderly and other high-risk groups will get infected by it. The pressure on staffs at nursing homes is growing. Some patient advocates are calling for emergency contingency plans. Are the facilities safe enough for the people living in them?

They’re not as aloof as some think.

Nurses, PSWs, and front-line workers in long-term care and retirement homes have been dealing with the full reality of this pandemic every day.

Nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy among children and youth with HIV is a frequent problem that can result in treatment failure and disease progression for this population. Children and adolescents face different barriers to adherence than adults infected with HIV.

Few studies have examined specific barriers to adherence as reported by children with perinatally acquired HIV and their caregivers. This report examines the agreement between child and caregiver perceptions of adherence barriers and the factors associated with these barriers. (Read the full article)

Some children with gastroenteritis fail to respond to oral rehydration. Subsequent interventions are dictated by regional preference. In North America, nasogastric rehydration is rarely administered. Caregiver and health care providers’ perspectives regarding its use have not been described previously.

Both caregivers and health care providers would select intravenous rehydration instead of nasogastric rehydration when oral rehydration fails. Greater knowledge mobilization efforts will be required for nasogastric rehydration to be adopted into clinical practice. (Read the full article)

Self-medication with antibiotics available without prescription is among the main causes of antibiotic misuse in the developing world and is associated with antibiotic resistance. Inappropriate antibiotic prescription is common in children. Patient expectations seem to influence physicians’ advice.

This study demonstrates that even in places where antibiotics are unregulated, improving physician prescribing habits could reduce irrational use overall and also future caregiver-driven misuse. Physician training in adequate antibiotic prescription could be a cost-effective intervention in these settings. (Read the full article)

Mobile devices are ubiquitous in children’s lives, but how caregivers and children use them in everyday situations, and how use of devices affects caregiver–child interactions, has not been studied.

In naturalistic mealtime observations, we documented the behavior of many caregivers whose attention was highly absorbed in their mobile devices, with varying child reactions to this absorption. This study raises several hypotheses about mobile device use and caregiver-child interaction. (Read the full article)

Early establishment of a dental home is critical for addressing the "silent epidemic" of early childhood caries. Physicians and dentists have worked to improve children’s access to dental care, but little is known about caregivers’ role in this context.

Addressing factors that affect the establishment of a child’s dental home, such as caregivers’ dental neglect and problem-driven care-seeking behaviors, is essential. Caregiver engagement seems to be pivotal for increasing use of preventive services while decreasing episodic and problem-initiated care. (Read the full article)

Mixed results exist regarding the efficacy of caregiver-mediated interventions for children who have ASD. To date, randomized controlled studies have rarely compared 2 active interventions; none have focused on targeting families who are low-resourced in the community.

Significant improvements were found in social communication of children who have autism when caregivers received a hands-on caregiver training intervention in the home. These are the first data from a low-intensity, short-term intervention with low-resourced families. (Read the full article)

MULTI-Grammy Award-winning singer Michael Bublé honored his grandfather’s last wish by turning over his home in Vancouver, Canada, to his longtime Filipina caregiver Minette. In an episode of the HGTV show “Celebrity IOU,” the international star behind the hit songs “Feeling Good,” “Haven’t Met You” and “Home” said Minette took good care of his grandfather […]

"I felt that they listened to what I was trying to say, and it shows that they do value democracy here in Taiwan."

Purpose: Oral and craniofacial conditions or diseases can impact an individual's health and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children, and evaluate the reported level of agreement between caregivers and their children.Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit children ages 8-15, and their caregivers from a dental clinic in a pediatric hospital for this descriptive, cross-sectional study. A modified version of a validated measure, Child Oral Health Impact Profile-Short Form (COHIP-SF), was used for a 22-item questionnaire encompassing three subscales: oral health, functional well-being, and social emotional well-being. Two additional items were included to assess child/caregiver's level of agreement. A dental chart review was also conducted to assess the child's overbite, overjet, and decayed surfaces. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and examined for assumptions of normality and linearity.Results: Sixty child/caregiver pairs (n=120) participated in this study. Overbite, overjet and decayed surfaces were not found to be related to any OHRQoL variable, including child/caregiver ratings and overall agreement (p>.05). Average OHRQoL scores for caregivers found to be more positive those of their children (p=.02). Agreement between caregivers and the child's gender was shown to be significant (p=.01). Female child scores differed significantly from males with respect to their caregiver responses (p=.02). Caregivers rated a higher OHRQoL for female children, thus overestimating their female child's reported OHRQoL.Conclusions: The moderate level of agreement found between children and caregivers reinforces the importance of including the child, as well as the caregiver, when assessing OHRQoL.

Background

People with pulmonary fibrosis often experience a protracted time to diagnosis, high symptom burden and limited disease information. This review aimed to identify the supportive care needs reported by people with pulmonary fibrosis and their caregivers.

Background and objectives

Shared decision making in patients with glomerular disease remains challenging because outcomes important to patients remain largely unknown. We aimed to identify and prioritize outcomes important to patients and caregivers and to describe reasons for their choices.

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