March 31, 2010 | In addition to taking on the household chores, many caregivers are involved in giving medications and treatments to the person for whom they are providing care. Many of those caregivers need advice about the treatments, and the person they usually turn to is their physician. While they talk to the physician about their loved one’s health, they don’t talk about their own. The role of caregiving is potentially an occupational hazard, and its demands place caregivers at risk for psychological and physical problems. Primary care physicians can provide a strong model to guide relationships with family caregivers. An effective relationship model acknowledges the role of the PCP and recognizes that caregivers and patients form interdependent units. It also considers the caregiver as a partner with the physician in the care of the patient. The physician can then carry out periodic assessments of the caregiver and the patient and, in turn, validate the role of the caregiver.