Postdischarge Caregiver Burden Among Family Caregivers of Older Trauma Patients
Caregiver burden, which is characterized by psychological distress and physical morbidity, affects over 50 million family caregivers of older adults in the United States. While there are guidelines and caregiver interventions available for illnesses where patient disability and caregiver burden increase over the course of the disease, such as CAPC's Dementia Care and Caregiver Support curriculum, there is currently a lack of evidence-based interventions.
A study published in JAMA Surgery found that nearly one-third of family caregivers of older trauma patients experience high caregiver burden for up to 3 months after the patients' discharge. The authors suggest that targeted interventions aimed at increasing caregiver self-efficacy and preparedness may help reduce caregiver burden.