Reaching The Caregiver Market Across Channels

With advances in medicine lengthening the average life span and baby boomers aging, the number of people older than 65 in the US will more than double in the coming 50 years. As this number of elderly grows, so does the number of caregivers — family members or close friends tasked with caring for their loved ones. Many health plans and employers do offer help to caregivers, but as this important group of caretakers grows, initiatives will have to broaden in scope and strength. In terms of how caregivers obtain health information, Forrester found that the Web is a powerful tool, and interest in Social Computing is apparent. But caregivers continually rely on offline channels, such as printed materials from disease associations and contact with friends and family, for a mix of emotional and informational support.