Caring for Others: Resources to Help You
From the FDA Office of Women’s Health
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Caregiving is the act of providing support for someone with a chronic illness, injury, disability or age-related needs. Taking care of family and friends is a normal part of every day for most women. It can be fun and rewarding to spend time with those who need you. It can also present you with new challenges.
Common challenges include caregiver stress and women especially are at risk for the harmful health effects of caregiver stress. Are you looking for tips to help you with caregiving? You are not alone! FDA has resources to help you keep you and your loved ones as healthy as they can be.
On this page:
Helping with medicines and medical devices
Preparing food safely
Managing other concerns
Learning about your loved one’s health condition
Caring for yourself
Helping with medicines and medical devices
Many women and other family caregivers, like you, worry about making a medical mistake. These tips can help you keep your loved ones safe and on track with their treatments.
- Keep a list of medicines for each person you care for. Include over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, vitamins and herbs. Keep this list with you at all times. Bring this list to health care provider visits. Remember to ask any questions you may have. Download and print (PDF, 1.48 MB) a free My Medicines booklet you can fill in or order free copies.
- Give the right amount of medicine. Ask the health care provider how much medicine you should give and when you should give it. Be sure to read the drug facts label of the drug product, follow usage directions and use the measuring cup or device that comes with the medicine.
- Lock up medicines. Make sure medication is taken by the person it was meant for. Keep medicines out of reach of children, teens, and older adults who could harm themselves. FDA recommends locking up medicines to prevent accidental poisonings by children and misuse by teens.
- Use home medical devices safely. Talk with your loved one’s health care provider about how to safely use medical devices. Ask the provider to show you and your loved one how to use the device correctly.
More information on using medications and devices safely:
- Drug information for consumers and patients
- Find information on a specific drug
- Safe use of over-the-counter pain relievers and fever reducers
- Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel
- Consumer updates on medical devices
- BeSafeRx: How to be safe when buying drugs online
- Vaccine Facts: Why You and your Family Need Vaccines (PDF, 818 KB)
- A safety guide for patient lifts (PDF, 3.83 MB)
- Recommendations for consumers and caregivers about adult portable bed rails
- Hearing aids
Preparing food safely
Caregiving and food safety are important considerations especially when caring for people who may have a higher risk of getting sick from bad food. Ask the health care provider if there are certain foods that you should not give to your loved one. Also, remember food safety when preparing and storing meals.
- Basic steps for food safety
- Food safety for older adults
- Food safety booklet for pregnant women, their unborn babies, and children under five
- The new nutrition facts label
- Food safety in your kitchen
Managing other concerns
Use these resources to help overcome some common caregiving challenges.
- Preparing for emergencies
- Facts about the loss of bladder control
- Sleep problems
- 6 Tip-offs to rip-offs: don't fall for health fraud scams
- What to ask your doctor before taking opioids
- Reporting serious problems to FDA
Learning about your loved one's health condition
It is important to educate yourself about the health condition to ensure that you can safely and effectively support your loved one. Read important tips on a variety of topics.
- Anxiety
- Healthy aging
- Diabetes
- HIV treatment
- Heart health
- Osteoporosis
- Considering clinical trials
- Postpartum depression (womenshealth.gov)
- Tips for families of people with disabilities (CDC)
Caring for yourself
When caring for someone else, it is easy to forget your own needs. Common challenges include emotional stress, balancing your personal life, and adapting to changing care needs. Remember to take time to care for your own health. Use these tips to help you stay healthy for those who need you.
- Schedule your own well visits and screening tests including your mammogram. Find a location near you.
- Talk with your health care provider about feelings of depression and anxiety.
- Learn how to manage caregiver stress. (HHS)
- Prevent caregiver burnout by practicing self-care and seeking support and caregiving resources in your community. The National Eldercare Locator, a service of the U.S. Administration on Aging, can help you find caregiving services in your area.
Related links
- Caregiving (NIH - National Institute on Aging)
- Caregiver’s Handbook (NIH - National Institute on Aging)
- For Caregivers, Family and Friends (CDC)