Service use by caregivers of elderly receiving case management

This article reports on findings from survey interviews with 401 informal caregivers of impaired older persons who were clients of nonprofit case management agencies in Cleveland, OH. The issue addressed is the role of the case manager as a facilitator of caregiver service use when the older person receives case management service. Caregiver services under investigation include respite care, help finding or arranging for service, emotional support or counseling, caregiver education and training, and assistance with other responsibilities such as child care. The study questions are: to what extent do caregivers in this sample utilize these services? What are the predictors of caregiver service use? What implications do the findings have for case management practice?