Your family can play a vital role in your rehabilitation (rehab) process. In fact, one of the most important factors in your recovery is family involvement and support.

Family members are affected by your health issue. They may have to help lead your care at home. They may have many changes as a result of your disability. For instance, your family members may also grieve your loss of ability. Severe injury, chronic disease, or disability may mean a change in family roles.

A person may need to go back to work because of their partner's health problem. An adult son or daughter may need to adjust their work schedule to help care for an older parent. These changes can cause stress and conflict in the family. Money problems, from medical bills or unemployment, can occur. These add more stress. Changes in living arrangements, child-care issues, and going back into the community can all pose new problems.

But by working together with the rehab team, you and your family can handle many of these problems. You can:

• Learn how the disability affects the family.
• Work together on solutions.
• Take part in family education and counseling.
• Plan for discharge and getting back into the community.

Family support can help you deal with issues related to self-esteem and self-image. Positive attitudes from loved ones also can help you work toward recovery. It's important for you and your family to be flexible and talk openly to help overcome many problems from your condition. This can help you adjust and become more confident in your abilities.

Most families want to take care of their loved one. But the emotional and physical toll of caregiving can be overwhelming at times. Caregiving requires a lot from families outside the rehab facility. Most caregivers are unpaid family members or friends who provide full- or part-time care, even when you also have health care professionals.

Caregivers have unique stress. They often feel unprepared for their role. They may feel isolated, anxious, and depressed. They also need to communicate well with the health care team and other resources. This role is time-consuming and can be confusing. A caregiver may need to:

• Research and suggest resources to make sure you can stay independent at home.
• Help provide physical care.
• Help out financially.
• Care for other family members.
• Respond to the ups and downs in rehab care.
• Make sure that contractors and builders are licensed and insured.

Caregivers must be taught how to meet the demands of your rehab plan. In fact, they should be included when the plan is developed. They need to know:

• The cause and effect of the injury or illness.
• Any possible problems from the injury or illness. They need to know how to notice and prevent these complications.
• Medicines, their schedule, side effects, and what they do.
• Needed exercises and tasks to learn.
• The social and emotional tasks of your rehab.
• How to get you back into the community after rehab.

If this help is not provided, caregivers may be overprotective. This can slow down your recovery.

Caregivers also need support. This may be a counseling program or a problem-solving team meeting. Getting support can help reduce the isolation and anxiety that caregivers often feel.

Caregivers must also find some time for themselves, away from their caregiving roles. This can be the most important coping strategy. But it's often hard to make this happen. Caregivers play a key role in your successful rehab. As they gain confidence, they should find caregiving less stressful and more rewarding.