Caregivers Need More Support
On average, people with chronic conditions will be cared for at home by the primary caregiver, usually a spouse or daughter, for more than four years with the help of other family members and friends.
In December 1999 Johns Hopkins conducted focus groups with groups of caregivers. Many of them expressed feelings ranging from devotion and commitment to their loved ones to fatigue and frustration with the current health care system. They are grateful for any help from family members, neighbors, and service providers who assist them in caring for their loved ones.
Family caregivers often quit jobs to care for a parent with Alzheimer's disease and other serious conditions. Those who continue to work must pack already long days with many tasks such as dressing a parent to go out to the store. Some search in vain for help to care for a parent, so that they can take a break.
