Family caregiver training is needed to improve outcomes for older adults using home care technologies

Family caregivers, although uncompensated, provide daily care for more than 75% of the older adults who are dependent on home care technologies such as home enteral nutrition. The high complication rates and poor outcomes seen in older adults suggest that being an effective caregiver requires specialized training in home care technologies, and dietitians need to be more actively involved in discharge planning and follow-up home care. The level of knowledge and skill mastery required for technology-dependent care, along with the chronic, intensive nature of family caregiving and the disruptions in caregivers' daily lives, lead to negative emotional and physical consequences that may interfere with caregivers' ability to do caregiving well. Recognizing that care recipients and caregivers are underserved populations, dietitians should develop their professional competencies and expand their roles in technology-dependent home care. Dietitians can thereby contribute to better outcomes for both family caregivers and older home care recipients.