The Loneliness of the Long-Term Care Giver – Journal Abstract

Families have always borne the burden of long-term care, and struggle with feelings of grief, loss, despair, anger and hopelessness. In this powerful first person account, the author points out some of the sad consequences of the American health care system's emphasis on the treatment of acute episodic illness or injury and its relative neglect of chronic illness long-term care. This essay, written for the New England Journal of Medicine’s “Sounding Board” series, is considered a seminal work.