Chapter 10 Caring for Families Flashcards
Family durability:
Intrafamilial system of support and structure that may extend beyond the walls of the household
Family resiliency
Ability to cope with expected and unexpected stressors
Family diversity
Attention to uniqueness
The family is defined
biologically, legally, or as a social network with personally constructed ties and ideologies.
Family Forms
patterns of people considered by family members to be included in the family
Nuclear family:
consists of husband and wife (perhaps children)
Extended family:
includes relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins) in addition to nuclear family
Blended Family:
formed when parents bring unrelated children from prior adoptive or foster parenting relationships into a new, joint living situation
Alternative famiy
relationships include multiadult households, “skip-generation” families (grandparents caring for grandbabies), communal groups with kids, “non-families” (adults living alone). cohabiting partners, and homosexual couples
Concept of Family
- Families represent more than a set of individuals.
- A family is more than a sum of its individual members.
- Families are diverse
Current Trends and New Family Forms:
- Families are smaller
- Couples having no kids
- Remarriage = blended families
- Homosexual couples are family units
- Women are delaying child birth
- Divorce rates have tripled since the 50s
- Single-parent families are prevalent
- America is aging
Other Current Trends
- Changing Economic Status
- Family Violence
- Homelessness
- Acute or Chronic Illness
Absolute homelessness:
people without physical shelter who sleep outdoors, in a vehicle, etc
relative homelessness:
have physical shelter, but one that does not meet standards of health and safety
Structure is based on
-organization.
Relationships are numerous and complex.
Function involves the processes used by
- the family to achieve goals.
- Processes include goal setting, conflict resolution, caregiving, nurturing, and use of resources
Family Health System:
A holistic model used to assess and care for families
Developmental stages:
Each stage has its own challenges, needs, and resources
Family hardiness:
internal strengths and durability of the family unit
Family resiliency:
ability to cope with expected and unexpected stressors
3 levels of family approaches:
- Family as context: realistic and practical
- Patient: when members are involved in daily care
- System: relational & transactional
Family Caregivers:
- Usually a daughter or daughter-in-law
- Conflicting responsibilities for aging parents, children, spouse, and job
- Frequently tries to “do it all”
- May not recognize need for help or request help
- May not focus on own health care
Potential Interventions:
Help families establish realistic priorities.
Suggest that family members use family leave plans or obtain some “flex time” from their employer.
Explore resources (e.g., delivery of meals, respite care).
Caregiver Role Strain:
- Patient Teaching
- -Teach family members to identify caregiving role strain.
- —-Change in appetite, sleeping, leisure activities
- —–Caregiver is fearful when learning.
- —–Loss of interest in personal appearance
- —–Problems may intensify with status change.
- Interventions
- Evaluation
3 Factors organize the family approach to nursing =
- The nurse views all individuals within their family context
- Families have an impact on individuals
- Individuals have an impact on families
Reciprocity:
acknowledging the importance of the capability of care recipients to share exchanges that contribute to a caregiver’s perception of self-worth
