Powerlessness of caregivers in home care.

Patients are not the only ones who suffer when they have a chronic illness; significant others and family members can also suffer. Reaction to chronically ill family members and the problems in their care varies among significant others. As the number of elderly individuals is increasing the number of chronically ill people needing care is also increasing. Not only do patients feel powerless but personal factors, factors in the environment, and factors related to the illness itself can also provide a conceptual framework for organizing factors that affect feelings of powerlessness among family members and significant others.