Focus On: Supporting Family Caregivers

Page reviewed and updated: November 2024

Family and informal caregivers serve a pivotal role in the safety and well-being of patients dealing with acute and chronic illness. They provide care on a long-term basis to older adults or individuals with disabilities, helping with bathing, dressing, administering medications, cleaning, shopping, and transporting the patient to medical appointments. Often working long hours without pay, the burden of caregiving at home can take a significant physical, emotional, social, and financial toll on an individual. As nurses, we should ensure our patients receive continuity of care after discharge. How can we best support family and informal caregivers during discharge and beyond?
 
Below you’ll find resources for nurses to help educate, strengthen, and boost family caregivers.

From Our Journals

Perception and Challenges of Time Management for Caregivers of People with Heart Failure - A Qualitative Study 
Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, November/December 2024

Reducing Violence Risk - Home Healthcare Nurses and Early Identification of Informal Caregiver Burden
Home Healthcare Now, November/December 2024

Caring for Caregivers
Professional Case Management, September/October 2024

Development and Validation of the Dementia Caregiver Burden Scale: A Tool for Community-Dwelling Dementia Caregiver
Journal of Nursing Research, August 2024

I-Poems - A Window Into the Personal Experiences of Family Caregivers of People Living With Advanced Cancer
Nursing Research, July/August 2024

Identifying oncology caregivers' pretreatment educational and emotional needs to inform future virtual reality educational interventions
Nursing2024, July 2024

CE Theoretically Based Factors Associated With Stroke Family Caregiver Health
Rehabilitation Nursing Journal, May/June 2024

Self-care Problems and Management Strategies Experienced by Rural Patient/Caregiver Dyads Living With Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study
Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, May/June 2024

Survivorship Survey Highlights Patient & Caregiver Needs
Oncology Times, November 2023

The Benefits of Caregiver Support Groups
Home Healthcare Now, November/December 2023

Hospital Environmental Disruptors and Caregiver Sleep During Hospitalization
Clinical Nurse Specialist, November/December 2023

Iterative Development of the Caregiver Wellness After Traumatic Brain Injury Program (CG-Well)
Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, November/December 2023

From Nurse to Family Caregiver
Home Healthcare Now, July/August 2023

Model of Family Caregiver Resilience and Burden in Opioid Use Disorder: A Theoretical Framework
Advances in Nursing Science, April/June 2023

Compassionate Care Within Early Intervention Caregiver Coaching: “They Won't Care What You Know Until They Know That You Care”
Infants & Young Children, April/June 2023

Use of Virtual Reality in Family Caregiver Education: A Literature Review
CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, March 2023

“Informal Caregiver” in Nursing: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis
Advances in Nursing Science, January/March 2023