Chapter 40 Family Caregiving Diversity of Family Structures

Chapter 40 Family Caregiving

Diversity of Family Structures Among Older Adults • Couples with children • Parent and child or children • Siblings • Groups of unrelated individuals • Multigenerations

Family Functions in Aging Families • Ensuring fulfillment of physical needs • Providing emotional support and comfort • Maintaining connections with family and community • Instilling a sense of meaning to life • Managing crises

Questions to Facilitate Identification of Significant Others in the Older Adult • Who checks on them regularly? • Who shops with or for them? • Who escorts them to the clinic or physician? • Who assists with or manages their problems? • Who takes care of them when they are ill? • Who helps them make decisions? • Who do they seek for emotional support?

Possible Family Roles • Decision-maker • Caregiver • Deviant • Dependent • Victim

Factors to Assess for Family Dynamics • How family members feel about each other • The manner of communication • Their attitudes, values, and beliefs • Links with organizations and the community

Family Interactions • Most elders enjoy regular contact with their children. • Most older people and their families prefer to live near but not with each other. • More than 9 of 10 elders are grandparents. • Siblings tend to develop stronger relationships in old age. • Divorce rates are low in the elderly, although increasing.

TLC Measures for Caregivers • T—training in care techniques, safe medication use, recognition of abnormalities, and available resources • L—leaving the care situation periodically to obtain respite and relaxation and maintain their normal living needs • C—caring for themselves via adequate sleep, rest, exercise, nutrition, socialization, solitude, support, financial aid, stress reduction, and health management

“Superwoman” Myth: Roles of Women Caregivers • Supportive parent • Understanding wife • Exciting lover • Interesting friend • Inspiring employee

Nursing Strategies to Assist Family Caregivers • Guide family to view situation realistically. • Provide information that assists in anticipating needs. • Assess and monitor the impact of caregiving on the total family unit. • Introduce and promote a review of care options.

Characteristics of Dysfunctional Families • Less able to fulfill the needs of their members • Rigid in roles, responsibilities, and opinions • Unable or unwilling to obtain and use help from others • Composed of members with psychopathology or behavioral disorders • Inexperienced or ineffective at managing crises • Ineffective or inappropriate with their communication and behavior

Types of Abuse • Inflicting pain or injury • Withholding food, money, medications, or care • Confinement, physical or chemical (drug) restraint • Theft or intentional mismanagement of assets • Sexual abuse

Source • Eliopoulos, C. (2005). Gerontological Nursing, (6 th ed. ). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins (ISBN 0 -7817 -4428 -8).