Caregiving is global – it is a service to humankind that occurs in every country in the world. Universally, caregiving involves doing the same or similar tasks, but where and how this assistance is provided, and who pays for it varies significantly - depending upon the country. Although caregiving is handled inclusive across a broad spectrum of variables, one thing that is certain is that caregiving is a very important role to play and is critical in the quality of life for individuals who are no longer able to care for themselves.

Caregiving is a broad term that involves assisting an individual with a variety of tasks, most commonly referred to as the activities of daily living (ADL’s). Some of the most common tasks in caregiving are assistance with dressing, bathing and personal grooming, meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, toileting, and transferring. The list can include many other tasks such as running errands, companionship, and providing emotional support. This kind of caregiving is referred to as non-medical caregiving.

Another kind of caregiving that is provided to the elderly is referred to as medical caregiving. This requires more knowledge and skill on the part of the caregiver and can require more time and precision in providing assistance. Tasks performed can include administering medication, giving shots, cleaning catheters, and taking vitals… just to name a few. It is not uncommon for individuals to feel uncomfortable and ill at ease in providing medical caregiving. Nevertheless, much of these tasks can be quickly learned via one’s medical doctor, community nurse, or rehabilitation therapist.

Most often we think of the elderly as those in need of caregiving. This is true, and, the elderly are our focus, however, there is another large segment of people in the United States (estimates are as high as seven million) and worldwide who are physically disabled and/or mentally challenged – who also require the assistance of a caregiver. In order to grasp the significance and magnitude of a caregiver, it is important to include both segments of people and to consider the numbers on a global scale.

Each year millions of families are forced to make important decisions regarding the care of their elderly and/or disabled family member. They must make decisions whether to provide care in the warmth, familiarity, and security of the family home or place their elder and/or disabled family member in a state run institution or assisted living facility/ nursing home. The factors most commonly used in this equation are functional and economic factors. Typically, the emotional and spiritual factors are not as heavily weighed as busy families determine their lives will not accommodate the required level of care that their elder or disabled family member requires.

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