Formal Caregiving

• Online interventions improve the condition and preparedness of caregivers, but future evaluations should consider study designs with multiple time points, control groups, and content that is personalized and interactive. • Results are encouraging that the training programs included in this systematic review improved caregiver knowledge, self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, caregiver burden and satisfaction. • Results, however, were less consistent when evaluating competency, stress, and care recipient status.

The purpose of this article was to compare sociodemographic characteristics and various care preferences for family and formal caregivers help with activities of daily living (ADLs). The sample was 56,337 noninstutionalized U.S. civilian adults, 40 to 65 years of age. This is a cross-sectional study using secondary data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)—2011 to 2014. Respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics and various care preferences for caregiver help with ADLs were analyzed.

Most older people experiencing chronic health problems, physical disabilities, and memory losses are still able to age in place in their own homes. However, they often need help from others to enjoy healthy, active, and independent lives. They turn mostly to family members, mainly women and usually their daughters, daughters-in-law or wives. But caring for frail elders has become more demanding and complex, and these family members often feel physically and emotionally overwhelmed and burnt out. They concede that they cannot do it alone.