Caregivers are people who take care of other adults, often parents or spouses, or children with special medical needs. Some caregivers are family members; others are paid. They help with:
- Food shopping and cooking
- House cleaning
- Paying bills
- Giving medicine
- Going to the toilet, bathing and dressing
- Eating
- Providing company and emotional support
Caregiving is hard, and caregivers of chronically ill people often feel stress. They are "on call" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you're caring for someone with mental problems like Alzheimer's disease it can be especially difficult. Support groups can help.
- Caregiver Tip Sheet(Administration on Aging) - Links to PDF - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/overview/docs/CaregiverTipSheet.pdf
- Living Day to Day(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/carefam/taking_care_of_others/wecare/day-to-day.aspx
- Caregiver Health(American Medical Association) - http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/5099.html
- Messages for a Family Caregiver to Live by(National Family Caregivers Association) - http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/improving_caregiving/
- Older Caregivers Prone to Worse Sleep Patterns(08/28/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68676.html
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Caregiver Stress(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/stress/645.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/mentalhealth/stress/645.printerview.html
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Caregiving and Depression(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=393
Also available in Spanish http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=537
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Caring for the Caregiver
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/caring-for-the-caregiver
- Taking Care of You: Self-Care for Family Caregivers(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=847
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Cancer: End-of-Life Issues for the Caregiver(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/cancer/caregivers/720.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/cancer/caregivers/720.printerview.html
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Caring for Adults with Cognitive and Memory Impairments(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=392
Also available in Spanish http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1408
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Caring for Someone with AIDS at Home(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/brochure/careathome.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/spanish/resources/brochures/careathome/
- Caring for the Person with ALS(Muscular Dystrophy Association) - http://www.als-mda.org/publications/alscare/caring.htm
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Dental Care Every Day: A Caregiver's Guide(National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/DevelopmentalDisabilities/DentalCareEveryDay.htm
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Guide for Caregivers(National Multiple Sclerosis Society) - Large PDF file - http://www.nationalmssociety.org/download.aspx?id=155
Also available in Spanish http://www.nationalmssociety.org/informacion-en-espanol/download.aspx?id=335
- Rehab Tip Sheets for Providers and Caregivers on Performing Common Activities(University of Alabama at Birmingham) - http://www.spinalcord.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=90249
- Assistive Technology(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1412
- Caregiving and Sibling Relationships: Challenges and Opportunities(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=868
- Caregiving in an Emergency(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=887
- Common Bonds of Caregiving(National Family Caregivers Association) - http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/who_are_family_caregivers/common_bonds_of_caregiving.cfm
- Guidelines for Better Communication(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=785
- Hands-On Skills for Caregivers(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=787
- Holding a Family Meeting(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=475
- Hot Weather Tips(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=871
- How Do I Hire a Home Care Employee?(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/carefam/taking_care_of_others/wecare/hire.aspx
- LGBT Caregiving: Frequently Asked Questions(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=409
- Lifting Techniques for Home Caregivers(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00096
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Long-Distance Caregiving(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/LongDistanceCaregiving/
- Making Choices about Everyday Care (for Families)(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=406
- When Your Care Receiver Lives with You(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/carefam/taking_care_of_others/wecare/lives-with-you.aspx
- Financial Steps for Caregivers: What You Need to Know about Money and Retirement(Administration on Aging) - Links to PDF - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/WISER.pdf
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Caregivers(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=caregivers+OR+caregiving
- Family Cardiac Caregivers May Have Higher Heart Disease Risk(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=362
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Cybersupport: empowering asthma caregivers. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18649811&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Dementia: psychosocial interventions for family caregivers. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18640438&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Caring for those who care: the role of the occupational... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18604920&tool=MedlinePlus
- Caregivers -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=caregivers[Majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Common Caregiving Terms(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/careprof/progguidance/resources/caregiving_terms.aspx
- Glossary(Beth Israel Medical Center, Dept. of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care) - http://www.stoppain.org/main_site/content/glossary.asp
- Caregiving Across the States: A State-by-State Resource(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1274
- Family Caregiver Support Program Contacts(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/careprof/state_by_state/state_contact.aspx
- Administration on Aging - http://www.aoa.gov/
- Family Caregiver Alliance - http://www.caregiver.org/
- National Family Caregivers Association - http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/
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National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/Espanol/
- Caregiving Update(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1440
- Maturity Health Matters - FDA Health News for Older Adults, Their Families and Caregivers(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/maturityhealthmatters/
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About National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/overview/overview_caregiver.aspx
Also available in Spanish http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/careprof/progguidance/research/docs/NFCSP_BROCHURE-Spanish.pdf
- Legal Issues for LGBT Caregivers(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=436
- Medicare Basics: A Guide for Families and Friends of People with Medicare(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/carefam/Medicare_Basics.pdf
- Who Will Care?(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/carefam/taking_care_of_others/wecare/who-will-care.aspx
- Older Patients with Caregivers and Assistance for Activities of Daily Living: 1998 and 2000(National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/homhltpatients.htm
- Selected Caregiver Statistics(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=439
- How to Care for a Seriously Ill Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/seriously_ill.html
- Managing Home Health Care(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/machine.html
- Caregiver Stress(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/faq/caregiver.htm
- Women and Caregiving: Facts and Figures(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=892
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Caregiver Stress and Elder Abuse(National Center on Elder Abuse) - Links to PDF - http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/pdf/family/fact_sheet.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/pdf/family/spanishfactbrochure.pdf
- Caregivers’ Guide to Medications and Aging(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1104
- Community-Based Care(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=14
- Eldercare at Home(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/eldercare/contents.php
- Home Away from Home: Relocating Your Parents(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=849
- What Housing Options Are Available?(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/carefam/taking_care_of_others/wecare/housing-options.aspx
- What Services Can Help Us?(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/carefam/taking_care_of_others/wecare/what-services.aspx
- Alzheimer's Caregivers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimerscaregivers.html
- Child Care - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childcare.html
- Home Care Services - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/homecareservices.html
- Health System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthsystem.html
- Social/Family Issues - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/socialfamilyissues.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Caregivers is the National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Caregivers - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/caregivers.html