Resource Center

This paper is part of the AARP Supporting Family Caregivers Providing Complex Care series. It discusses 12 ways to facilitate family caregiver education in hospitals. These include: 1) understanding family caregiver willingness; 2) conducting a family caregiver needs assessment to determine readiness and appropriate resources; 3) screening to identify barriers; 4) engaging in one-on-one instruction with the family caregiver; 5) providing learning opportunities in group settings; 6) gathering patient and famly caregiver input; 7) conducting care coordination across the service area; 8) recording support information in the EHR; 9) providing videos; 10) using existing delivery channels to normalize the role of family caregivers; 11) creating materials that address frequently asked questions and sharing them throughout the health system; and 12) conducting pilot programs.