Future directions in family and professional caregiving for the elderly

As the population ages and the expected wave of baby boomers settles into old age, there is a pressing need to examine the people and institutions that care for elders and the ways in which the system will need to adapt during the next 5-10 years to accommodate the needs of the elderly and of their caregivers. This paper examines future directions in this field, identifying the major issues from two perspectives: family caregiving and professional caregiving. Despite extensive research on caregiving, more attention to a series of methodological issues is needed, as is more extensive evaluation of promising intervention models in community and institutional settings. Effective strategies to lower caregiver distress and improve the quality of care can be implemented in efficient ways that manage costs, but the argument for innovations must be made based on efficacy.