How are the burdens and difficulties of care giving balanced by the satisfactions experienced? How do the demands of care giving change over time and what are the policy and practice implications of such changes? How is a balance achieved between the needs of the caregiver and the cared-for person? The importance of family (informal) care both in making a reality of community care policies and in helping to sustain the quality of life of people who require support to remain within their homes is beyond doubt. However, whilst a considerable research and practice literature has developed in this area over the last ten years there remains much to learn about caring at both conceptual and practice levels. There is in particular a need to develop more dynamic models which account for the changing nature of care over time and integrates the perspectives of carer, cared-for person and the formal service network. Based on several years research conducted by the authors, Understanding Family Care integrates a number of theories and perspectives in order to provide a more holistic understanding of the needs of carers. Emphasis is placed on providing a balanced picture which recognizes both the burdens and satisfactions of caring, in addition to the coping efforts that carers employ. A new longitudinal model of caring is described and the various stages and processes are explored. Although the focus is primarily on the carer the perspectives of the cared-for person are not ignored and a model is presented which aids the integration of disparate viewpoints. In addition to theoretical and methodological debates, implications for policy and practice are fully explored. Understanding Family Care is recommended reading for practitioners and managers in the health and social services, as well as students of social science, nursing, gerontology and social work.

I recommend this book to anyone wanting to develop a deeper understanding of the needs of family care-givers. - Nursing Times ...a welcome and valuable contribution to the understanding of family care. - Journal of Advanced Nursing ...a useful addition to the growing literature on caring. - Community Care This is an informative and enlightening text for anyone with an interest in caring and related issues. The authors have drawn together important theory relating to caring and set this in the context of family care, ensuring that care issues are seen in the context of the life span...I would recommend this text to all those working in this subject area; it is also of importance to the various members of the interprofessional team who will work with carers - Ageing & Society

Mike Nolan trained as both a nurse and a teacher and worked for a number of years in a clinical capacity with older people and their carers before pursuing a career in research and teaching. Mike has particular interests in family caregiving, chronic illness and the nature of long-term care. He is currently Professor of Gerontological Nursing at the University of Sheffield.Gordon Grant is a Reader and Co-Director of the Centre for Social Policy Research and Development at the University of Wales, Bangor. Gordon has long-standing interest in formal-informal care relations, and in recent years has been associated with policy evaluation research in the fields of learning disability and community care.John Keady is Lecturer in Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Wales, Bangor. John trained and worked for many years in mental health nursing, developing services for people with dementia and their carers. He has particular interests in younger onset dementia, the experience of early dementia and interventions with family carers.