From Helpguide.org : Caregiving Support & Help Tips for Making Family Caregiving Easier

"A look at family caregiving Providing care for a family member in need is an age-old act of kindness, love, and loyalty. And as life expectancies increase, medical treatments advance, and increasing numbers of people live with chronic illness and disabilities, more and more of us will participate in the caregiving process. There are many different types of family caregiver situations. You may be taking care of an aging parent or a handicapped spouse. Or perhaps you're caring for a child with a physical or mental illness. But regardless of your particular circumstances, you're facing a challenging new role. If you're like most family caregivers, you aren't trained for the responsibilities you now face. And you probably never anticipated you'd be in this situation. You may not even live very close to your loved one. At the same time, you love your family member and want to provide the best care you can. The good news is that you don't have to be a nursing expert, a superhero, or a saint in order to be a good caregiver. With the right help and support, you can be a good caregiver without having to sacrifice yourself in the process." To read the full article go to: http://www.helpguide.org/elder/caring_for_caregivers.htm