Military Caregivers

Military caregivers provide essential services for their veteran or military service members who have serious injuries or illness. Of the estimated 39.8 million Americans who provide care for an adult, 1.1 million care for a post 9/11 veteran or service member. Caregivers may experience greater physical or mental health concerns including stress, depression and/or chronic illness, and have greater financial burden than their non-caregiving counterparts. Policy shifts such as the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (2018) have created and expanded programs to support caregivers. Practitioners working with injured or ill military service members or veterans and their families should include a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of the whole family, utilizing several interventions, such as support groups, peer support, psychoeducational programs, training, individual and family counseling, and/or respite care services, to improve family function and reduce caregiver burden.