A caregiver's responsibility is by far the most challenging role to support the patient. Many times it is compared to customer service in a company, a thankless job. Since there are multiple caregivers for patients, they far exceed the number of patients. This is why Our Joint Decisions has received extensive feedback on providing just as much education & motivation for caregivers as for patients. We are putting together an entire DVD just for caregivers.

In the additional Caregiver web site pages, we will cover the Caregivers' Roles & Stages necessary to provide the best support for the patient & the caregivers.

There are local & general resources for caregiver's support. Following are a few:

• Home Health

• Outpatient rehabilitation

• Local Senior/ Aging Centers

• Senior Support Groups

• Libraries for research

• Internet for research

Home Health is one the best programs for multiple reasons. It brings the health professional into your home to care directly for the patient. It also allows the caregiver time to get away if necessary for shopping, or simply their own time.

Outpatient rehabilitation requires the caregiver to take the patient to physical therapy.

Most cities have some agency set up to support the needs of seniors. Also, Senior Support Groups are usually available, especially for special needs such as dementia, etc.

Many spouses, especially, feel they can be the primary caregiver for their partner in life. As Bob Faught, Our Joint Decisions Co-founder, found with his parents. As his father's lewy-body dementia became stronger, Bob's mother thought she could take care of him in their house. Every moment she left him alone, he tried to get up and walk, falling every time. Luckily, he never broke any bones.

It took all Bob's brothers & sister to finally convince their mother that she needed to place him in a quality nursing home for dementia. Bob's mother needed the total joint replacement, in part, because of repeatedly trying to catch her husband while falling. Luckily she didn't get hurt any worse. Now, Bob's mother sees her friends facing the same issue; the female spouse trying to take care of the male spouse 24/7/365. She feels the caregivers are going to end up passing away first simply from all the work & effort around the clock.

There are caregiver's limitations. These range from their health, job, all the way to the patient having dementia & lack of strength that requires professional health care. Caregivers need to be honest with themselves on the extent & quality of care they can give the patient. Caregivers should evaluate the situation for the best solution.

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