Informal Caregivers: From Hidden Heroes to Integral Part of Care

This book builds on the current trends in informal caregivers- role in the supportive care of cancer patients (as well as other diseases) across the care continuum covering topics from the healthcare professionals and the users- perspectives. Informal caregivers are a critical resource to their care recipients and an essential component of the health care system. The book introduces a comprehensive view of the topic and acknowledges the importance and the complexity of caregiving. Here lays one of the uniqueness of this book, which highlights the areas and the ways that for example interventions in specific settings/groups of patients can actually facilitate the caregiving process. 

The increasing number of care-dependent people, the adoption of the principle -outpatient before inpatient-, the shift of care from inpatient to outpatient and the preference for home care (i.e. majority) are only some of the reasons that contributed to Informal caregiving