Home Alone: Family CaregiversProviding Complex Chronic Care

Susan ReinhardAARP Public Policy Institute

In Collaboration with-

Carol Levine and Sarah SamisUnited Hospital Fund

The Long Term Care Discussion Group

Outline of Presentation Background and methodology Key findings Recommendations

Background of Survey and Report AARP Public Policy Institute and United Hospital Fund

collaborated on first in-depth national survey of family caregivers

This report documents: What medical/nursing tasks family caregivers do; What they find difficult; Who trains them; and Impact on their quality of life.

Background of Survey and Report Grew out of concern that training and support for family

caregivers based on outmoded assumptions and measures ADLs developed in 1950s to assess elderly patients’

recovery from hip fracture IADLs added in 1960s to assess independence at home

Those assumptions and measures were not intended to describe or assess family caregivers

Aging population with multiple chronic conditions and disabilities plus increased use of medications have changed caregiving responsibilities

Background of Survey and Report Online survey questions based on studies of specific

populations of family caregivers, literature review, and authors’ experiences

Fielded by Knowledge Networks, survey research firm in December 2011; hardware and Internet access provided if needed

Screener asked broad question about providing assistance of various kinds in previous 12 months

Exclusion: caregivers of people permanently residing in nursing homes

Full panel of 1,677 respondents

Key Findings 46% of the caregivers in the panel performed

medical/nursing tasks

Almost all of medical/nursing caregivers (> 96 %) also provided ADL or IADL assistance.

ADL/IADL only,

900

M/N Tasks and ADL/IADL,747

M/N Tasks only, 30

ADL/IADL only 900

M/N Tasks and ADL/IADL 747M/N Tasks only 30

Key Findings The most commonly performed medical/nursing

tasks were: medication management; helping with assistive devices for mobility; and preparing food for special diets.

Medical/Nursing Tasks

Key Findings Family caregivers found some tasks more difficult

than others.

Medical/Nursing Task#

Performing Task

#Reported Hard Task

% Reported Hard Task

Use incontinence equipment, supplies, administer enemas 194 130 67

Do wound care (bandages, ointments, prescription drugs for skin care, or to treat pressure sores or post-surgical wounds) and ostomy care

275 181 66

Manage medications, including IV and injections 607 373 61Prepare food for special diets 319 170 53

Operate medical equipment (mechanical ventilators, oxygen, tube feeding equipment, home dialysis equipment, suctioning equipment)

111 54 49

Help with assistive devices for mobility like canes or walkers 333 129 39

Use meters/monitors (thermometer, glucometer, stethoscope, weight scales, blood pressure monitors, oxygen saturation monitors), administer test kits, use telehealth equipment

275 100 36

Operate durable medical equipment (hospital beds, lifts, wheelchairs, scooters, toilet or bath chairs, geri-chairs, for example)

162 58 36

Other 7 5 71

Key Findings Caregivers performing medical/nursing tasks were

often responsible for coordination of their family member’s care as well

Care Coordinators(percent) All

M/N Tasks

ADL/IADL

Caregiver 37 53 24

Care Recipient or Other Family Member of the Caregiver or the Care Recipient 23 16 29

Primary Care Doctor 23 16 29

Specialist Physician 5 5 5

Care Manager (geriatric, or from private insurance or government program) 3 3 4

Physician’s Assistant, Nurse, or Assistant in Doctor’s Office 3 3 2

Care Recipient + Caregiver/Other Family Member 1 2 1

Other 2 1 3

No Response 2 2 2

Key Findings Caregivers performing medical/nursing tasks had

very little training 61% of caregivers who performed medication

management who found it hard said that they learned how to manage medications on their own

So Many Meds, So Little Training Three out of four family caregivers who provided

medical/nursing tasks were managing medications, including administering intravenous fluids and injections.

Almost half were administering 5 to 9 prescription medications a day; one in five was helping with ten or more prescription medications a day.

Most of these family caregivers learned how to manage at least some of the medications on their own.

Many found this work difficult because it was time-consuming and inconvenient, they were afraid of making a mistake, and/or the care recipient would not cooperate.

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“I constantly monitor drugs”-Family Caregiver

Training for Medication Management

Wound Care is Very Challenging and Training is Needed

More than a third (35%) of family caregivers who provided medical/nursing tasks reported doing wound care.

While fewer caregivers performed wound care tasks than medication management, a greater percentage of them (66%) identified it as difficult and many (38%) would like more training.

Of these caregivers, close to half (47%) were afraid of making a mistake and/or harming their family member.

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Family Caregivers Feel Pressured

18

Home Visits Home visits and additional help at home are not

common Only 31% had home visits by medical professionals

AllM/N

TasksADL/IADL

Received a Home Visit 31 36 26

No Home Visits 69 64 73

No Response <1 <1 <1

Home Visits Home visits and additional help at home are not

common 27% of caregivers had no additional help at home

Additional Help at Home AllM/N

TasksADL/IADL

Additional Family Member 54 49 58Home Care Aide 19 23 16Friend 12 11 13Other 1 1 1No Additional Assistance 27 30 25No Response 20 21 19

The More tasks, the Greater the Consequences for Family Caregiver Well Being

Family caregivers who performed five or more medical/nursing tasks were most likely to believe they are making an important contribution.

Compared to those who performed one or two tasks, they were also most likely to report feeling stressed and worried about making a mistake.

More than half reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless in the last two weeks

More than a third reported fair or poor health.

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Family Caregiver Help with Medical/Nursing Tasks and Effect on Care Recipients’ Quality of Life

Home Alone Recommendations1. Consensus-building body (IOM) should revisit ADLs and IADLs

and develop new measure to include medical/nursing tasks.2. Individual health care professionals must fundamentally

reassess and restructure the way they interact with family caregivers in daily practice.

3. Health care provider organizations must support professionals in their efforts by providing adequate resources and strong leadership.

4. Professional organizations should lead and support professionals in their efforts to improve communication and training for family caregivers.

Home Alone Recommendations (con’t)

5. Leaders in professional education should examine their curricula to determine how to strengthen work with family caregivers.

6. Accrediting and standard-setting organizations must take seriously their evaluation of how well institutions incorporate family caregiver needs.

7. Federal policymakers should proactively consider family caregivers in developing new models of care that focus on care coordination and quality improvement.

Home Alone Recommendations (con’t)

8. State policymakers should proactively consider family caregivers in funding and policy development.

9. Caregiver advocacy and support organizations should include resources that address the needs of family caregivers who have taken on the triple burden of personal care, household chores, and medical/nursing tasks.

10. Academic and government researchers should conduct further studies to understand medical/nursing tasks performed by different types of family caregivers.

Full ReportAARP Public Policy Institutehttp://www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/info-10-2012/home-alone-family-caregivers-providing-complex-chronic-care.html

United Hospital Fundhttp://www.uhfnyc.org/

Thank you!Susan Reinhard

sreinhard@aarp.org 202-434-3872

Carol Levineclevine@uhfnyc.org

212-494-0755

Sarah Samisssamis@uhfnyc.org

212-494-0719