The Stages of Caregiving
If you’re a caregiver, you need to be able to recognize the stages of your relationship with a patient where you might need help. Use the seven stages of caregiving we’ve listed below as a guide for looking ahead to moments where you might want to call on extra support or make important caregiving decisions.
Stage 1 — Performing Caregiving Tasks
A family or friend begins helping a patient with routine activities the patient had previously been able to handle without any assistance.
A family or friend begins helping a patient with routine activities the patient had previously been able to handle without any assistance.
Stage 2 — Self-definition as a Caregiver
An individual sees and identifies himself or herself as a caregiver.
An individual sees and identifies himself or herself as a caregiver.
Stage 3 — Performing Personal Care
The patient has become much more dependent on the caregiver, relying on them for help with bathing, dressing, toileting or other aspects of personal care.
The patient has become much more dependent on the caregiver, relying on them for help with bathing, dressing, toileting or other aspects of personal care.
Stage 4 — Seeking Assistance and Formal Services
The caregiver is actively looking for support from others in helping them care for the patient.
The caregiver is actively looking for support from others in helping them care for the patient.
Stage 5 — Consideration of Nursing Home Placement
The patient’s needs are beyond what the caregiver can provide alone, a situation that can make a caregiver feel overwhelmed. Placing the patient in a nursing home rather than continuing with at-home care becomes an option, and the caregiver reaches out for help in placement.
The patient’s needs are beyond what the caregiver can provide alone, a situation that can make a caregiver feel overwhelmed. Placing the patient in a nursing home rather than continuing with at-home care becomes an option, and the caregiver reaches out for help in placement.
Stage 6 — Placement of the Patient
Owing to the patient’s increasing needs, at-home care isn’t possible any longer, and he or she is placed in a nursing home or other setting where they can receive the appropriate attention.
Owing to the patient’s increasing needs, at-home care isn’t possible any longer, and he or she is placed in a nursing home or other setting where they can receive the appropriate attention.
Stage 7 — Termination of the Caregiver Role
There are three typical reasons why a caregiver’s role comes to an end, and each of them can be highly emotional:
There are three typical reasons why a caregiver’s role comes to an end, and each of them can be highly emotional:
- A recovery by the patient
- Placement in a nursing home or other facility
- Death of the patient
*Adapted from “Seven Markers in the Caregiving Trajectory,” by Rhonda J.V. Montgomery, Ph.D., director, Gerontology Center, University of Kansas.