Care of elderly patients by Relatives

Family members and friends continue to provide the major portion of long-term care of the elderly in society (Burggraf, 1993, p. 25). More than 7 million American households are actively involved in providing care for older adults (Sharlach & Others, 1991, pp. xi-xvi). These households are part of the support for 5 million older Americans who require assistance with day-to-day tasks in order to remain in the community.

As the American population continues to age, the number of older persons with health impairments and associated dependencies grows. Consequently, the ranks of family caregivers whose assistance enables their elderly relatives to live in the community (i.e. outside of nursing homes) increases as well. The degenerative and irreversible course of old age, and its varied symptoms, typically results in family caregivers becoming increasingly engulfed by the needs of the impaired relatives. The time and energies of caregivers come to be consumed by this single enveloping role. Absorption into caregiving, of course, is often at the expense of the activities

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examining the health of caregivers and caretakers. One of the most pressing concerns within the context of adult/elder caretaking relates to declining physical and mental health of the caregiven, and the stress it places on the caregiver. Financial considerations and ethical conflicts provoke further caregiving concerns. Family caregivers have serious unanswered ethical questions as well as concerns about the duty of other family members and of society to the elderly person. Moral obligation, conflicts between caregiving responsibility and other commitments, difficulties with health care financing, the individual's responsibility in planning care, and quality of care are major ethical questions that the caregiver encounters. In addition, family relationships and dynamics may be altered by caregiving responsibilities. The strain of caregiving experience may exacerbate existing problems among family members. Social isolation, lack of privacy, and inadequate rest are commonalities of the round-the-clock responsibilities, often contributing to unhealthy family dynamics. Given the significance of work activity in adult life, the impact of caregiving on employment must be examined. Studies have found that caregiving employe
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Melillo Futrell, Zarit Whitlatch, Mezey McGivern, , Clawson Osterweis, Centers Dellasega, College Burggraf, Books Townsend, January Nurse, care elderly, Nurse Practitioner, nurse practitioner, nurse practitioners, health care, primary care, family caregivers, care elderly loved, family friends, elderly loved, social support, family nurse, clawson osterweis 1993, melillo futrell 1995, mullan zarit whitlatch, zarit whitlatch 1995,
Approximate Word count = 2562
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)

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