Long-Distance Caregiving: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

There are an estimated 5–7 million long distance caregivers in the United States, but relatively little is known about this growing subpopulation of caregivers. This study systematically reviewed the existing empirical literature on long distance caregiving and critically examined 15 identified studies: 8 quantitative, 2 mixed-method, and 5 qualitative. Although studies defined long distance caregiving very differently, a composite description of who long distance caregivers are and what they do is presented. Long distance caregivers make substantial contributions to care in terms of physical, financial, and social support. Distance complicates the exchange of information about the care recipient’s health and care needs, as well as the types of care that can be provided. Related to this, geographic separation can exacerbate care-related stressors. Implications for future research are also identified.

Observing Women Caregivers’ Everyday Experiences: New Ways of Understanding and Intervening

“…In the past 3 decades, there has been a growth in research on family caregiving, on topics as wide-ranging as caregivers' physical health (Ho, Chan, Woo, Chong, & Sham, 2009;Pinquart & Sorensen, 2007;Vitaliano, Zhang, & Scanlan, 2003), well-being and coping (Chappell & Dujela, 2009), financial and workplace impacts (Wakabayashi & Donato, 200;Young & Holley, 2005), long-distance caregiving (Cagle & Munn, 2012), post-care bereavement (Orzeck & Silverman, 2008), the lack of choices faced by caregivers (Cash, Hodgkin, & Warburton, 2013), and spousal caregivers' sexual and intimate lives (Drummond et al, 2013). There has also been extensive scholarship regarding the gendered nature of caregiving (Grant, 2004;Ward-Griffin, Brown, Vandervoort, & McNair, 2005).…”

Closer: A videoconference intervention for distance caregivers of cancer patients

“…Currently, there are ~7 million family caregivers who live at least 1 hr from the care recipient (patient) and are described as “distance caregivers” (DCGs; Cagle & Munn, ; MetLife, ; Wagner, ). Unlike local caregivers, who are easily identifiable by the healthcare team and linked to existing support systems, DCGs are an under‐recognized group and have no formal support system.…”

“…A vulnerable sub‐population of DCGs is those of patients with cancer—many of whom are near the end of life. DCGs, though recognized as a distinct subgroup of caregivers in the research literature, have not been well studied in the clinical arena (Bevan & Sparks, ; Cagle & Munn, ). There will be an estimated 10 million DCGs in the United States by 2020 (Egan, ; Family Caregiver Alliance Fact Sheet, ).…”

“…There will be an estimated 10 million DCGs in the United States by 2020 (Egan, ; Family Caregiver Alliance Fact Sheet, ). While the numbers of DCGs are increasing, evidence about their unique needs remains scarce, and interventions are even more limited (Bevan & Sparks, ; Cagle & Munn, ). It is these caregivers, often with the highest levels of emotional and physical distress and depression (Douglas, Mazanec, Lipson, & Leuchtag, ; Given et al, ; McMillan, ), who are the focus of this four‐year National Institute of Nursing Research/National Institutes of Health‐funded study.…”

“…Distance caregiving is a growing phenomenon in the United States associated with an increasingly mobile society (Benefield & Beck, ; Bevan & Sparks, ; Cagle & Munn, ; MetLife, ). On average, DCGs live >100 miles from the patient and do not have access to interact with members of the patient's healthcare team.…”