Author: Susan Reinhard
When AARP’s Public Policy Institute (PPI) conducted its Home Alone study in 2012, the outcome was the first national look at the evolving experience of family caregivers—who are being asked to perform more complex medical/nursing tasks than ever before, who experience a high degree of stress in their role, and who historically have not even been considered part of the health care team. Complex tasks run the gamut from administering many medications, including injections, to changing dressings and handling medical equipment. This is essentially “skilled nursing care”—the skills I chose to learn to do as a nursing student. It is also what I taught family members, neighbors and friends when I was a visiting nurse. This 2012 study was an exploration of how many caregivers are performing these tasks, how they learn to do them and how they are reacting to these responsibilities. We learned much.
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