Your RA Team: The Caregiver

In the course of treating and managing your rheumatoid arthritis (RA) you’ll work with several professionals — doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others. But you may also work with a caregiver, a person who helps and supports you with day-to-day tasks and tasks related to your healthcare regimen.

What is a caregiver?

A caregiver is a family member, friend or hired professional who provides care to another adult or child with unique medical needs. This individual is there to assist a patient with important tasks and responsibilities that have become difficult for the patient because of a health condition.

Friends and family members often fill the role of caregiver. In fact, over 75% of caregivers in the United States are family caregivers.¹ If you need a caregiver but don’t have a family or friend who can provide such service and time, your healthcare team can help refer you to professional caregivers. Professional caregivers can be nurses, certified nurse aides, home health aides or employees of non-medical home care agencies. Training, certification and licensure vary by profession and state.

The roles of the caregiver

RA is a disease that can cause limited ability to carry out everyday tasks and responsibilities. In general, the role of the caregiver is to provide both physical and emotional support when you need it. More specifically, your caregiver can help with:

Physical Assistance	Emotional Support
Performing household chores Taking medication Cooking and eating Shopping Bathing, dressing and using the bathroom Paying bills and writing correspondence Making sure you get where you need to go Accompanying you to doctor appointments	Suggesting and encouraging activities that promote good health Helping you cope with physical and emotional stress Monitoring changes in your condition and symptoms Creating new ideas and approaches to managing your RA (eg, easier ways to perform tasks around the house, stress-relief techniques)

Your role in the patient-caregiver relationship

You're the only one who truly knows how you feel, both physically and emotionally, so it's important to be open and honest with your caregiver about your needs. Be sure to let your caregiver know if:

• You're experiencing a flare in symptoms
• You're finding it more difficult to perform tasks that are usually easier for you
• He or she should alter the way they perform tasks and provide care

Helpful resources for you and your caregiver

RheumatoidArthritis.com provides several resources that may benefit you and your caregiver and possibly even strengthen your partnership:

• Caregiver Video: Watch this video of a caregiver who's been providing care to his wife, a patient with RA. You'll also find guidance on patient-caregiver communication.
• Taking Care of Yourself: It’s important for a caregiver to tend to his or her own needs in order to provide effective care to someone else. This section of RheumatoidArthritis.com offers tips to help caregivers stay physically and mentally healthy.
• Friends & Family Discussion Guide: For patients and caregivers who are friends or family members, this discussion guide offers tips and questions for productive conversations about RA.

Reference:

1. Arthritis Foundation. So you’re a caregiver...now what? Available: http://www.arthritis.org/caregiver-general.php. Accessed September 15, 2010.

Next — Your RA Team: Physical Therapist