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‘Invisible Work’ Takes Toll on Unpaid Caregivers
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Unpaid caregivers, often friends or family members, who provide health care assistance to older adults with disabilities have worse health and well-being outcomes than caregivers who don't provide this type of support, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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Using data from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study, researchers examined the nature and intensity of caregiver involvement and its impact on caregiver health and well-being. They found that caregivers who provide substantial help with health care activities (such as coordinating doctor appointments and managing medications) were significantly more likely to live with the person for whom they cared; to provide more hours of care than other caregivers; to report higher rates of emotional, physical, and financial difficulties; and to be less productive at work due to distraction or fatigue.
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Researchers involved in the study note that this invisible work force provides and coordinates essential, complex care for older adults and the chronically ill; yet, these caregivers are largely ignored in the American health care system.
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Caregiver Support Resources in the LTSS Technical Assistance Center
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Family members in Indian Country provide 90 percent of long-term care to elders and others in need of assistance with activities of daily living, including health care activities. Caregiver burden and burnout are important issues, and resources can be hard to find. Even so, there are innovative, creative caregiver support strategies in Indian Country. You can learn about many of them in the LTSS Technical Assistance Center.
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