A guide for assessing caregiver needs: determining a health history database for family caregivers

The complex issue of combining caregiving and employment requires an awareness on the part of primary care providers of the health and social impact these responsibilities have on clients. Failure to consider the psychosocial and health-related consequences of caregiving for individuals with dual roles could result in greater health care costs, jeopardize the health of the caregiver, and place the care recipient at risk of institutionalization. The purpose of this article is to offer a guide that can be used as part of a comprehensive health history to assess the caregiving situation and provide a database on which to establish a plan of action. The caregiver assessment guide can be inserted in the client's health record and periodically reviewed during primary care visits.