Some 40 percent of chronically ill adults live alone, often with children living 10 miles away, making caregiving a greater challenge, U. S. researchers have found.

Patients of age 51 or older with chronic health problems who participated in the 2006 Health and Retirement were looked at by study Researchers at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

It was found by them that 93 percent of the chronically ill older adults had adult children, but for half of them, the children lived more than 10 miles away.

It was also suggested by the study that the barrier of distance needs to be overcome so chronically ill patients can be monitored and supported by family members.

John D. Piette, a senior scientist with the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, and colleagues at the University of Michigan colleagues developed "Care Partners", a telephone monitoring system where family members can be involved in the care of a relative with heart failure, diabetes, depression or undergoing chemotherapy through e-mail alerts and automated phone calls.

Piette says, "The challenges facing chronically ill patients are enormous. We need recognition that for many patients 'self' management is a misnomer, since their disease care is actually shared by their family and broader social network." (With Inputs from Agencies)