Lachow, Kelsey Grace
(2023)
Caring for Caregivers: How Pennsylvania Can Support Older Adult Family Caregiver Mental Health.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Family caregivers pick up the slack when older adults are left behind. Their work often goes unnoticed and undervalued while policymakers search for solutions to care for the growing older adult population. The aging population and management of chronic diseases is one of the greatest public health puzzles facing our world today. Family caregiving is the answer for families who cannot afford to place their loved one in a long-term care facility or who’s loved one would rather age at home. Family caregiving for older adults can help to alleviate this problem, but this comes at a cost to caregivers’ mental health. Supporting family caregiver mental health comes with several interpersonal, emotional, logistical, and financial obstacles to overcome. Stronger, more comprehensive policy solutions would make the lives of family caregivers less stressful, allowing them to provide better care to their loved ones, thus creating a sustainable way to care for the older adult population. This problem’s significance to public health lies in the heavy burden that providing consistent and effective care to older adults puts on the healthcare system. As a state harboring a great proportion of older adults, Pennsylvania should pave the way in developing interventions to best support family caregivers and the loved ones they care for. Pennsylvania has enhanced stake in ensuring that older adults and their caregivers are sufficiently supported, which includes providing services and implementing policy that targets family caregiver mental health. In doing so, Pennsylvania can improve care and quality of life for a large portion of its population.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
| Creators | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Lachow, Kelsey Grace | kgl16@pitt.edu | kgl16 | |
|
| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID |
|---|
| Thesis advisor | Hughes, Meredith | mlh203@pitt.edu | mlh203 | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Albert, Steven | smalbert@pitt.edu | smalbert | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
17 May 2023 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Submission Date: |
28 April 2023 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
31 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Health Policy & Management |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Informal caregiving |
| Date Deposited: |
17 May 2023 18:59 |
| Last Modified: |
17 May 2023 18:59 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/44809 |
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