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Caregiver: Roles in Health Management

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Ethnogeriatrics

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Abstract

Overview: As the number of caregivers increase in America, it is important for providers to understand the unique ethnic and cultural characteristics and needs of caregivers in order to provide the highest quality care for our aging patients. This chapter is focused primarily on the unpaid informal caregiver.

In the year 2015 there are an estimated 43 million Americans that serve has unpaid caregivers and approximately 32.4 million of those have provided care to someone 50 years or older [1].

As the United States population ages, the number of unpaid caregivers is expected to increase. With this rise in caregivers, more attention is being paid by the public and private sector to determine ways to meet the needs of these individuals, with special focus on the sustainability and health of these individuals. However, just as ethnicity and diversity influences how we meet the health care needs of the aging population, ethnicity and diversity also must be taken into account when we are meeting the needs of caregivers. The role of the caregiver in the US is becoming increasingly medicalized with caregivers performing tasks previously performed by professional medical staff including managing medications, tube feeds, respiratory assist devices, and in home dialysis in addition to the traditional role of managing Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Independent Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) [1, 2].

For the purposes of this chapter, a caregiver (also known as an informal caregiver) is an unpaid individual (a spouse, partner, family member, friend, or neighbor) involved in assisting others with activities of daily living and/or medical tasks. Formal caregivers are typically paid workers associated with a formal service system. In the current economy, caregivers are not only contributing physically, but also financially, organizationally, and emotionally to the care of their loved ones. They are advocates, and in many cases, they are becoming sophisticated patient case managers who play a vital role in the healthcare system which serves our elders. There is an interest and growing body of research focusing on cultural norms, diverse caregiver populations, and their needs, along with targeted interventions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St., Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA

    Sarah E. Harrington M.D.

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University/Emory Healthcare, Emory Palliative Care Center in Wesley Woods Hospital, 1821 Clifton Road, Suite 1046, MS: 0379-001-1AB, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Kimberly A. Curseen M.D.

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Correspondence to Sarah E. Harrington M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Science, Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

    Lenise Cummings-Vaughn

  2. Division of Geriatrics Medicine Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

    Dulce M. Cruz-Oliver

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Harrington, S.E., Curseen, K.A. (2017). Caregiver: Roles in Health Management. In: Cummings-Vaughn, L., Cruz-Oliver, D. (eds) Ethnogeriatrics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16558-5_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16558-5_9

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