[The role of caregiver in patients at risk of difficult discharge: a needs analysis in a medical ward].

Introduction: the continuous increase in life expectancy and the large amount of elderly population the caregiver become an important figure in domiciliary assistance. He is not often prepared to fulfil this complex role, because he has a great number of unsatisfied needs. For this reason the aim of this study is to identify and analyze the caregiver's educational needs, in anticipation of frail elderly's home discharge.