Hidden heroes : : America's military caregivers / / Rajeev Ramchand [and nine others] ; sponsored by Caring for Military Families: The Elizabeth Dole Foundation ; cover design by Dori Gordon Walker.

• VerfasserIn: Ramchand, Rajeev,
• TeilnehmendeR: Walker, Dori Gordon,; Ramchand, Rajeev,; Elizabeth Dole Foundation,
• Place / Publishing House: Santa Monica, California : : RAND Corporation,, 2014.; ©2014
• Year of Publication: 2014
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (289 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

Little has been reported about "military caregivers"-the population of those who care for wounded, ill, and injured military personnel and veterans. This report summarizes the results of a study designed to describe the magnitude of military caregiving in the United States today, as well as to identify gaps in the array of programs, policies, and initiatives designed to support military caregivers.

Table of Contents

Cover; Title Page; Copyright; Preface; Contents; Figures; Tables; Summary; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Chapter One: Introduction; A Social Ecological Framework of Military Caregiving; Terms and Definitions; Organization of This Report; Study Overview; Cornerstones of Support: A Review; Past Surveys of Military Caregivers; RAND Survey of Military Caregivers; Limitations of Our Survey Approach; Past Environmental Scans of Caregiver Support Programs; RAND's Environmental Scan of Caregiver Support Programs; Limitations of Our Approach to the Environmental Scan

Review of Federal and State Policies to Support CaregiversChapter Two: Critical Lifelines: The Role and Contributions of Military Caregivers; Introduction; Estimating the Number of Caregivers in the United States; Care Recipients' Era of Service; Impact of Era of Service on Program Eligibility; Characteristics of Military Caregivers; Relationship of Caregivers to Care Recipients; The Impact of Relationship Status on Program Eligibility; Demographics and Military Characteristics of Caregivers; Duration of Caregiving; Caregiving Network; The People Military Caregivers Care For; Demographics

VA Disability RatingVeteran Characteristics That Affect Program Eligibility; Types of Conditions and Relation to Military Service; Disease-Specific Programs; Functional Impairment; What Military Caregivers Do; The Tasks Military Caregivers Perform; Programs and Resources for Training Caregivers; The Time Military Caregiving Takes; Summary; Chapter Three: Understanding and Addressing Caregiver Needs: The Risks and Consequences of Caregiving and Programs to Mitigate Them; Introduction; Health and Well-Being of Military Caregivers; Physical Health; Health Care Coverage and Utilization

Programs That Offer Nonstandard Health Care for CaregiversMental Health; Mental Health Care Utilization; Programs That Offer Nonstandard Mental Health Care for Caregivers; Self-Reported Effects of Caregiving; Other Programs to Address Caregiver Health and Well-Being; Family Relationships and Roles of Military Caregivers; Relationship Quality; Parenting; Programs to Address Caregiver Family Well-Being; Employment and Financial Well-Being of Military Caregivers; Financial Strain; Work Absenteeism; Programs to Address Income Loss; Service and Resource Utilization Among Caregivers

Sources of Help Specifically for Military CaregiversGovernmental and Nongovernmental Programs Supporting All Caregivers; Formal and Informal Social Network Sources of Help; Summary; Chapter Four: Evolving Needs: Sustaining Caregiver and Care Recipient Well-Being Now and in the Future; Aging Parents and Fragile Marriages; Future Planning for Caregivers; Sustainability for Programs Serving Caregivers; Potential Benefits and Costs to Society; Summary; Chapter Five: Closing Gaps: Conclusions and Recommendations; Conclusions

1. Relative to Non-Caregivers, Caregivers Have Consistently Worse Health Outcomes and More Strained Family Relationships