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Policy and advocacy for informal caregivers: How state policy influenced a community initiative

With a growing proportion of elderly in the global population, the role of 'informal caregivers' gains importance. Informal caregivers are unpaid family members or friends who provide assistance to home-dwelling adults with health-related needs or limitations. Internationally, informal caregivers provide important medical support to those with a variety of diseases. While informal caregivers will remain vital to the growing aging population's pursuit of healthy aging, they often suffer from 'caregiver burnout,' a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by their caregiving work. Policy and legislation are needed to diminish the burden on caregivers and to help assure that resources are allocated for these caregivers. We describe an initiative aimed at providing appropriate social support for caregivers by partnering among local organizations, hospitals, and health authorities. 

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Key Information

Type of Reference
Jour
Type of Work
Journal article
Publisher
Macmillan Publishers Ltd
ISBN/ISSN
1745-655X
Publication Year
2017
Issue Number
4
Journal Titles
Journal of Public Health Policy
Volume Number
38
Start Page
503
End Page
508