Implications of caregiving

Many and varied implications of caregiving have been reported in the literature. Caregiving has been associated with both negative and positive impacts and researchers have acknowledged the need for a greater understanding of the total caregiving experience. This paper is the first in a series of papers examining the complex and diverse reactions to caregiving within the context of a narrative review of the literature. The paper concludes that the consideration of the diverse, individual and complex experiences of caring for a relative or friend may assist health care professionals to identify at-risk carers and appropriate carer support needs.