It has long been known that those who care for an elderly or incapacitated loved one can suffer physically, psychologically, financially and socially. These caregivers have been known for years in the medical community as the “invisible patients.” Little has been done for them. According to the New York Times, there are more than 40 million adults in the United States who provide care for an aging family member or friend -- and that number is set to rise.
Today, health care providers are asking themselves if recognizing the problem is enough. Do doctors have a duty to identify and provide support to individual caregivers who may be suffering?
Studies have shown how intervention can improve health and well-being in caregivers. But most medical professionals do not make it a common practice to identify and intervene in cases of caregiver burden. As Baby Boomers age and the number of caregivers swells, some in the medical community are reconsidering how the caregiver burden is handled.
Recently, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an article on caregiver burdens that encourages doctors treating a patient to proactively assess whether a caregiver in the situation might benefit from support or medical attention. Not only could the caregiver benefit, but the original patient might end up receiving better care as well.
The JAMA article alerts doctors to the risk factors for caregivers who might be suffering, and it gives doctors concrete steps to take when they suspect that a caregiver might be suffering undue physical or emotional hardship. The process begins with a series of questions that identify problems that may be occurring. Treatments can range from support groups to individual therapy to medication.