The Indian Family Caregivers of Persons with Mental Illness—PwMI: Large Canvas, Beyond Family

Mental health care is a challenge all over the world. There are acute limitations in the resources to meet the care needs of persons with mental illness. Countries like India, with limited infrastructure and resources for mental health care, largely depend on the traditional strengths of the families for care. Family caregivers are the bedrock of care of PwMI in India. This important role of the family caregivers needs to be recognized for its value and strengthened. Unfortunately, there is lack of appreciation of family caregivers’ role and contribution. Indian Family Caregivers are a link between the patients and the mental health professionals and a source through which treatment and recovery are channelized. The current chapter focuses on the Indian family caregivers of the PwMI who form a unique unpaid workforce, providing services out of love and bonding at the cost of their own health and well-being. Recovery rate of persons with mental illness is reported to be higher in India than in the developed countries where much better infrastructure exists for their therapy and treatment, which is attributed to family caregiving. They suffer as much as their dear ones do and need support from the State and the community to provide better care to their dear ones. The chapter also covers mental health needs of India, challenges of caregiving, various acts and provisions related to mental health care. One of the most unique aspects of this chapter is the coverage of unique countrywide initiatives by some of the caregivers who have come forward to start NGOs, for families with one or more members living with mental illness, with focus on creating awareness, promoting peer support groups, running residential and day rehabilitation centres, rescuing and rehabilitating mentally distressed wanderers and an active role in advocacy.