Understanding the value of family caregivers

Home care has a model that depends on the unpaid support of family caregivers. This sample examines all active home care clients (N=1698) receiving case management services between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011, 96% of clients report they have a family (informal) caregiver with 23% receiving help from spouses and 68% receiving help from child or other relative. Family caregivers who are stressed are providing an average of 34.27 hours per week of care, family caregivers who care for seniors with cognitive and physical impairment provide up to 45.85 hours per week and 50.4 hours per week respectively. Twenty-six percent of home care clients have stressed caregivers. Of the home care clients who were hospitalized 58% of them had stressed family caregivers and 34% of these home care clients became ALC. This study addresses the importance of supporting family caregivers to mitigate stress so they can continue to care. --P. ii.