1. By Shelby Engel

2.  Family caregiving is assisting someone you care about who is either disabled or chronically ill.

3.  Many family caregivers will suffer from depression, stress, and anxiety.  People start to reduce their social interaction with family and friends.  Financial strain is put on individuals who give care to loved ones.

4.  There are more women caregivers than there are men.  African Americans are less likely to experience strain compared to whites.  African Americans also show more positive outcomes than whites.

5.  65.7 million adult caregivers  1.4 million youth caregivers – range anywhere from age 8-18 years old  Youth caregivers help assist parents, grandparents, and other relatives.

6.  Youth caregivers show higher rates of anxiety and depression.  Many youth caregivers miss school, show up tardy to class, turn in late homework and stop going to school activities.

7.  Many women are working in low-wage jobs with no job security.  This is more common among African American women.  Many women will either reduce the number of hours they work or quit their jobs due to the amount of work they have.

8.  “One in three family caregivers spend down savings and nearly one in four cut back on spending for their own health or dental care to help with expenses associated with providing care” (Ness, 2011, p. 40).

9.  Being in the home for the end of a loved ones life is very important.  Can provide privacy and personal identity.  Make the loved one feel at ease.

10.  Carlander, I., Sahlberg-Blom, E., Hellström, I., & Ternestedt, B. (2011). The modified self: family caregivers' experiences of caring for a dying family member at home. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 20(7/8), 1097-1105. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03331.x  Ness, D. L. (2011). Women, Caregivers, Families, and the Affordable Care Act's Bright Promise of Better Care. Generations, 35(1), 38-44.  Roth, D. L., Perkins, M., Wadley, V. G., Temple, E. M., & Haley, W. E. (2009). Family caregiving and emotional strain: associations with quality of life in a large national sample of middle-aged and older adults. Quality Of Life Research, 18(6), 679-688. doi:10.1007/s11136-009-9482-2  Viola, D., Arno, P., Siskowski, C., Cohen, D., & Gusmano, M. (2012). The Economic Value of Youth Caregiving in the United States. Relational Child & Youth Care Practice, 25(2), 10-13.  Yu-Nu, W., Yea-Ing Lotus, S., Min-Chi, C., & Pei-Shan, Y. (2011). Reconciling work and family caregiving among adult-child family caregivers of older people with dementia: effects on role strain and depressive symptoms. Journal Of Advanced Nursing, 67(4), 829-840. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05505.x