A practical guide to caring for caregivers

Patients who provide care to family members or friends with dementia are li kely to be in a family physician's practice. The caregiver role can be stre ssful, and identifying these patients can give the family physician opportu nities to help patients cope with the challenges of the caregiver role. Fam ily physicians have a systematic approach for assessing the degree of careg iver burden in these patients. Because caregivers are at increased risk for depression and anxiety, screening should be done to exclude the presence o f either disorder. The caregiver's skill in managing behavioral problems in the family member with dementia should be assessed. If there are problems, family physicians should provide practical counseling about common caregiv ing stresses and about resources that benefit caregivers. Helping the careg iver learn strategies for coping with difficulties may help reduce some of the stress the caregiver is experiencing.