Written specifically for the growing number of family caregivers, The Handbook of Live-In Care provides practical, how-to guidance on caring for an elderly loved one.

With the growing demand from baby boomers seeking help for aging parents, the home care industry has responded with a variety of provider options, from geriatric care managers to home care agencies.

After the holidays have passed, family get-togethers will become few and far between for the next few months. With the decrease of planned visits and cold weather keeping us inside, it’s important to check-up on your loved ones – especially the elderly.

Many caregivers are going online and to social networks for all types of health-related information and guidance.

A recent study of the caregiver decision making process and role of the Internet has found that 91 percent of caregivers conduct their own research after receiving a health care provider recommendation for their loved one.

Americans significantly underestimate the impact that a family member's long term care needs could have on their own lives, marriages, work commitments, financial stability and future financial security, finds a new landmark study, Our Family, Our Future: The Heart of Long Term Care Planning, sponsored by Genworth Financial and released by Age Wave and Harris Interactive. The study, conducted online in September among 2,151 U.S. adults age 18 and over, sought to uncover the hopes, worries, and needs of family members providing care to loved ones.⁽¹⁾

Almost half of all baby boomers say tending to their own health and well-being comes second to caring for the health needs of loved ones.

The biggest cause of stress for people who care for loved ones after a stroke may not be worrying about the affected family member.

Rather, surprising new research from Northwestern Medicine shows that a lack of understanding and help from friends and relatives causes the most stress and the greatest threat to a caregiver's own health and well-being.

Studies published by Healthways Center for Health Research provide new knowledge of the impact of age on well-being, and the effect of caregiving on the well-being of the 52 million Americans providing care for an adult who is ill or disabled. The studies, based on more than 355,000 individual responses collected through 2008, leverage data from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index™ (WBI), the largest survey of its kind, and the pulse of well-being in America.

“Your aging parents are happily in a retirement home. They’ve given up driving. But family conflicts over dealing with aging parents usually aren’t over yet," says Connie Love, life coach in the resort community of Sun Valley, Idaho. As year-end festivities approach, holiday stress can intensify the issues with aging parents.

Caring for a loved one can be a rewarding experience, but it can oftentimes be challenging and stressful work. Taking steps to plan ahead can make a significant difference in relieving stress and help to lighten the caregiver’s load.