Identifying and Addressing Family Caregiver Anxiety (original) (raw)

2019, Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing

Family members providing care at home for a loved one with a serious illness are growing in number and diversity. 1 A typical caregiver is a 45-55-year-old female caring for her 65-75year-old female loved one who has a long-term physical illness, and the duration of that care has been approximately four years. 1 Caregivers are most likely high school graduates who work full time, with an average household income of $55,000. 1 The family caregiver (sometimes called an informal caregiver) is usually an unpaid individual (i.e., a spouse, partner, neighbor, friend, or other relative) involved in assisting another with activities of daily living and/or medical tasks. 2 These informal caregivers often provide countless hours of direct or indirect care and support for their care recipients with chronic physical conditions, mental illness, terminal illness, and/or disabilities. 1 The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) 2016 report, Families Caring for an Aging America, highlights the increasing numbers of older adults, shrinking families, and the personal impacts of family caregiving. 3 A diagnosis of cancer can profoundly impact the overall quality of life of the care recipient as well as the family caregiver; this includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. 4 Family caregivers of persons with cancer experience high levels of anxiety. Along with demographic factors, care recipient quality of life is considered a predictor for anxiety among family caregivers. 5 Manifestations of anxiety are similar to those of depression; however, they are Author Contributions: Dr. Moss and Ms. Kurzawa contributed to all aspects of the paper from conception through development and initially developed the paper. Both Drs. Daly and Prince-Paul provided feedback on the product throughout its refinement. Each coauthor wrote and edited all components of the paper and has reviewed the final paper prior to submission.