Lifespan changes and family Flashcards
What is the sociological definition of a family?
A group of individuals related to one another by blood, marriage or adoption, who form an economic unit, in which the adult members are responsible for the upbringing of the children.
What is a reconstituted family?
Blended / Patchwork: When at least one of the adults has a child from a previous relationship.
What is a postmodern family?
Group of non biologically related individuals who have an established relationship of any kind e.g. friendship groups - individuals making families how they feel they should be
What is a household?
A group of people who share living arrangements. the activities within the household vary depending on the relationships. A family can extend beyond a single household.
What are the relations in a family?
Kinship, emotional and biological
What are the relations in a household?
Spatial and temporal
What are the arising changes in family structure?
Cohabiting couples (unmarried) with or without children is increasing.
Lone parent families are increasing.
Age of women giving birth is rising.
Divorce rates are falling overall, but increasing in the elderly.
Number of people living alone is increasing and it rises with age.
Fewer houses have children and those that do have less children.
What are the implications on health care from the changes in family structure?
Families are more diverse and have different realities. Childbirth is occurring at later ages. Ageing population. There is less informal care and more demand on formal. Vulnerable people have more support outside of health care services e.g. family carers.
What are the main functions of a family?
To procreate
Provide social control and socialisation of children.
Dictates social placement
Physical care and influence each others health - Transmit health risks (inherited and infection), lifestyle, attitudes to health, body image, diagnosis and management
When does a family become relevant in a pt’s health care? (Tansella)
If family fails in care for pt - lack support
Member has a breakdown
Non-compliance between Dr and family creating friction and affecting Pt management.
All require education.
When an illness becomes chronic families will either become…
Centripetal or Centrifugal
What is a centripetal family?
The external world is seen as a threat that can disrupt.
Family pulls together to cope and negative feelings are hidden.
Inward looking family who plan life around the illness, but ignoring it as far as possible. Family becomes socially isolated to avoid confrontation in community and uses illness to exclude others.
May distrust medical advice and prefer to self manage.
What is a centrifugal family?
Family members seek gratification outside of the family, with distance and little communication between them. Negative and hostile feelings are out in the open.
An outward looking family that pulls apart and may cause martial disruption.
There is over attention on the ill and rest of family may feel neglected = social deviance. Ill person may be excluded from family so they can return to their normal lives, without offering Pt support.
There is lack of understanding and resentment to Pt.
How might being a family carer impact their lives?
-ve impact on working life, physical and mental health and relationships. May cause stress, depression, anxiety, tension, high BP, skeletal muscle injuries.
What are the social and psychological impacts on a young carer?
Suffer long term psychological health problems and mental health issues. May have difficulty with social interaction and making friends as miss out on play time and adopt a parental role making it hard for them to interact with other children. May have depression, stress and low self esteem.
