Helping Those You Love from Afar

If you’re responsible for the care of a loved one who lives far away, you’re not alone. About 7 million adults nationwide are long-distance caregivers. Most assist aging parents who live an hour or more away.

Long-distance caregiving can mean many things. You might need to help manage an elderly aunt’s money or to arrange for in-home care. You might try to take some pressure off your brother or sister who lives in the same town as your aging relatives. Many long-distance caregivers act as information coordinators, helping to decipher the confusing maze of home health aides and insurance benefits.

A publication called So Far Away: Twenty Questions and Answers for Long-Distance Caregiving addresses some issues unique to long-distance caregiving. Developed by NIH’s National Institute on Aging, this 44-page booklet is filled with ideas and resources that can help make caring for a loved one from afar more manageable and less stressful.

So Far Away gives straightforward answers to 20 common questions faced by long-distance caregivers. Get tips for determining if and when help is needed, keeping up with a loved one’s medical care and coping with your own feelings of anxiety and guilt.

To view, download or order free print copies,visit www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/LongDistanceCaregiving, or call 1-800-222-2225.