ABSTRACT
Family caregiving for older adults is receiving increasing attention as an issue central to research, clinical care, and policy related to chronic illness.1 Caregiving research has grown dramatically as a result of several demographic changes.2 Increasing lifeexpectancy, with a resulting higher prevalence of a number of chronic illnesses, have led to more older people unable to care for themselves. Families commonly prefer to care for disabled relatives themselves, and older adults are usually highly motivated to remain in their homes, even with illness and disability. There are additional pressures for families to provide caregiving owing to the limits of community services, and the high financial burden associated with hospital and nursing home care. These changes have resulted in more families, particularly spouses and adult daughters, assuming the role of caregivers.
