One of the questions health services research hasn’t fully answered yet is this: What is the full dimension of health risks faced by people who become caregivers for home-bound family members and friends requiring long-term care?
The topic was one of several explored at Penn’s annual springtime faculty/alumni health care discussion panel, “Planning for Your Future Health Care Needs.” It featured seven Penn faculty researchers who are top health services researchers involved in the field of aging and health.
Dubbed “next friend risk” by Penn Law professor and researcher Allison Hoffman, the health risk faced by caregivers encompasses the financial, emotional, psychological, and physiological impacts on family members and friends who devote large portions of their time and energy to a home patient’s constant needs.
“Think about it in terms of yourself as a patient needing long-term care,” says Hoffman, an LDI Senior Fellow. “So if you need long-term care what are the risks you take? What health risks do you face if you don’t get the care you need? My question is what if we thought about that from the perspective of the friends and family members who often step in and provide that care for you?”
Read more at Penn LDI.
