Military caregivers

The United States has been at war longer than any time in its history. While thousands have been wounded in this long-running conflict, advances in battlefield medicine mean many of our troops survive catastrophic wounds. The nature of many of their wounds, however, means some require long-term care-giving support. Those caregivers often toil in relative obscurity, and they are challenging to count or describe. They are spouses, parents, children, and relatives of the wounded veteran, but many coworkers, neighbors, and friends also take on responsibilities. They provide care and assistance, promoting faster recovery for their loved ones and thus saving our nation millions of dollars in health care costs. However, the personal impact of providing this care is enormous. The time required can result in lost jobs, lost wages, and a possible loss of health insurance; in addition, the physical and emotional toll can be substantial. This report reviews existing research on the needs of care-givers in general, scans the services available to them, and identifies how their needs are, and are not, being met. This report also assesses how lessons learned can be applied to military caregivers