Positive aspects can help blunt burnout.

• Position: Caregiving - Brief article

Although long-term care of sick or disabled loved ones widely is recognized as a threat to the caregiver's health and quality of life, a study by the University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine, Ann Arbor, finds that, in some contexts, aiding valued loved ones may promote the well-being of helpers. The study team wanted to learn if there were some positive aspects of caregiving, aspects that did not provoke the burnout, high stress, and poor health associated with being a caregiver--and, if so, why these aspects had a positive effect.

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It was learned that, despite the burdensome nature of their role, caregivers experience more positive emotions and fewer negative ones when they engage in "active care" like feeding, bathing, toileting, and otherwise physically caring for an...