The family caregiving career: implications for community-based long-term care practice and policy.
Informal (i.e., unpaid) long-term care for disabled older adults is often chronic, but it is only recently that research has considered the longitudinal implications of family caregiving. In particular, investigators have conceptualized caregiving as a "career," and within the caregiving career, a number of diverse trajectories and transitions can occur. Following a summary of these findings, this paper considers how longitudinal caregiving research can influence and potentially address key policy and practice concerns, especially in the delivery and support of community-based long-term care (CBLTC) services. It is suggested that with the refinement of the informal long-term care literature, existing policy and practice to support caregiving families can be similarly advanced.
Gaugler
Joseph E
JE
Center on Aging, Center for Gerontological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. gaug0015@umn.edu
Teaster
Pamela
P
D002321:Career Choice; D017028:Caregivers; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005190:Family; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011640:Public Policy