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Review | Open Access

Caregiving in Asia: Priority areas for research, policy, and practice to support family caregivers

Nan Jiang1,2 (), Bei Wu3, Yan Li4,5
Institute for Hospital Management, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, New York, USA
Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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In this review, we identify four key priority areas to advance research, practice, and policy related to family caregivers in Asia: (1) Emphasizing family caregivers as sociocultural navigators in the healthcare system; (2) addressing the mental and physical health needs of family caregivers; (3) recognizing the diverse caregiving experiences across different cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and countries of residence; and (4) strengthening policy support for family caregivers. We propose cross‐country knowledge exchange and capacity development for better serving both the aging population and their caregivers.

Abstract

Population aging presents a growing societal challenge and imposes a heavy burden on the healthcare system in many Asian countries. Given the limited availability of formal long‐term care (LTC) facilities and personnel, family caregivers play a vital role in providing care for the increasing population of older adults. While awareness of the challenges faced by caregivers is rising, discussions often remain within academic circles, resulting in the lived experiences, well‐being, and needs of family caregivers being frequently overlooked. In this review, we identify four key priority areas to advance research, practice, and policy related to family caregivers in Asia: (1) Emphasizing family caregivers as sociocultural navigators in the healthcare system; (2) addressing the mental and physical health needs of family caregivers; (3) recognizing the diverse caregiving experiences across different cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and countries of residence; and (4) strengthening policy support for family caregivers. Our review also identifies deficiencies in institutional LTC and underscores the importance of providing training and empowerment to caregivers. Policymakers, practitioners, and researchers interested in supporting family caregivers should prioritize these key areas to tackle the challenge of population aging in Asian countries. Cross‐country knowledge exchange and capacity development are crucial for better serving both the aging population and their caregivers.

Keywords

caregivingAsiaresearchpolicy

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Health Care Science
Volume 3 Issue 6,
December 2024
Pages 374-382
DOI: 10.1002/hcs2.124
Cite this article:
Jiang N, Wu B, Li Y. Caregiving in Asia: Priority areas for research, policy, and practice to support family caregivers. Health Care Science, 2024, 3(6): 374-382. https://doi.org/10.1002/hcs2.124
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