What decisions are made by family caregivers?

Abstract

Before decision support can be offered, we need to understand what decisions family caregivers face, which are considered challenging, and what causes the challenge. To address these issues, 100 caregivers were asked to: • Indicate decisions faced; • Describe challenging decisions; and • Describe specific decision making questions. Eighty surveys (80 percent) were returned and used in the analysis. The most prevalent decisions involved nursing home placement, communicating the diagnosis, and driving. The most challenging decisions involved providing care and relocation. The most prevalent question involved the timing of actions. These results will guide the design of decision aids for family caregivers.