What is the definition of a caregiver? Society, advocacy groups, the health care industry and the government all have their own definition for "caregiver." In simple terms, a family caregiver is someone who is responsible for attending to the daily needs of another person.

Family caregivers are responsible for the physical, emotional and often financial support of another person who is unable to care for himself/herself due to illness, injury or disability. The care recipient may be a family member, life partner or friend. Family caregivers are sometimes described as "informal," a term professionals use to describe those who care for family members or friends in the home, typically without pay. "Formal" caregivers, including home health care providers and other professionals, are trained and paid for their services. Some formal caregivers are trained volunteers associated with an agency.

The Face of the Family Caregiver

Caregivers are all around us. Spouses, adult children, other family members, partners, friends and neighbors all serve as unpaid, informal caregivers. Studies have shown that caregivers are all ages and come from all walks of life.

Although the majority of family caregivers are women, more and more men are becoming caregivers. The care of a family member, in the absence of a spouse, most often falls on the shoulders of a daughter or daughter-in-law. However, studies in the past decade have shown increases in the number of male caregivers. For example, a recent survey found that 39 percent of caregivers who participated in the study were men. Clearly, caregiving is no longer only a women's issue.

Some differences have been reported in caregiving among different ethnic groups. Experts have noted that cultural and ethnic differences may influence expectations on family caregivers.

What do Family Caregivers typically do?

In the 2004 "Caregiving in the United States" survey by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons, caregivers reported helping the care recipient with the following:

• Transportation
• Housework
• Managing finances
• Preparing meals
• Helping with medication
• Managing services

Half of all caregivers also reported assisting with the difficult tasks associated with personal care, including:

• Getting in and out of bed and chairs
• Getting dressed
• Helping bathe or shower
• Getting to and from the toilet
• Feeding the care recipient
• Dealing with incontinence and diapers

Who are Care Recipients?

In the context of caregiving, care recipients are primarily defined as adults aged 18 or older who require regular help with one or more activities of daily living (ADLs). These may include basic activities, such as bathing or dressing, or medical care requiring specialized equipment in the home.

"Grandparent caregivers" raising grandchildren may also qualify for government and private agency aid programs. These family caregivers have special legal needs to protect their rights and those of their grandchildren.

Virtually any illness, whether acute or chronic, or injury may result in a person requiring a family caregiver. Some people may require temporary, long-term or indefinite care. Health conditions that commonly lead to the need for a caregiver include:

• Chronic brain disorders, such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease
• Traumatic brain or spinal cord injury
• Multiple sclerosis
• HIV/AIDS
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular diseases such as stroke or heart attack
• Chronic diseases associated with ongoing disability, such as diabetes and severe arthritis
• Mental health & psychiatric disorders
• Developmental disability

Did you know?

• More than 44.4 million Americans serve as informal caregivers to people ages 18 years and older.
• 83 percent of caregivers are related to the care recipient.
• The average age of a caregiver providing care to an adult is 46.
• More than half of all caregivers are between 18 and 49 years of age.
• Women on average spend 17 years of their lives caring for children and 18 years caring for elderly parents.

- www.caregiving.org -