As individuals with significant functional deficits are discharged earlier from the hospital, health care professionals are challenged to develop cost-effective intervention programmes that will assist family members to manage caregiving problems in the home. The literature suggests that social problem-solving can positively influence the physical and psychological well-being of individuals. This paper describes a social problem-solving training procedure provided primarily by telephone to assist family caregivers to manage caregiving issues in the home. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.