The phrase \u201cyou can\u2019t choose your family\u201d is one that often comes up in difficult times. As our loved ones age, we are faced with navigating a healthcare system that can be challenging even for those working in healthcare. This is a time when we need our family most. However, family members are human beings, and humans are all different. I have four children and each one is blessed with talents and gifts that make them who they are. Their strengths compliment each other, but can also put them at odds with one another. For example, one of my daughters is very organized and a planner which makes her a great project leader. Her younger sister is quiet and takes direction well. This sounds like a perfect team, and it is…until it\u2019s not. Everyone, even quiet people, want to be able to express opinions and be heard. It takes mutual respect and open communication to create a cohesive and healthy team. And a cohesive team approach is often what works best when facing care planning for our loved ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the challenges with the team approach for care planning is that families come with years of baggage. It can be difficult to set aside our feelings about things that happened in our childhood with our siblings or parents. People spend huge amounts of time and money in therapy to deal with life\u2019s problems. I have seen, after several years of working with geriatric clients and their families, that old hurts are often the biggest obstacles to working together to plan care. How can we overlook that our older sibling was mom\u2019s favorite, so mom doesn\u2019t care about anyone else\u2019s opinion? What about our younger brother who never shows up when he says he will? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a family cannot work together and focus on their loved one\u2019s safety and care as a common goal, what can they do? This is often when a geriatric care manger can help. Care managers are objective experts in the areas of assessment and care planning. They can look at a situation with fresh eyes and bring with them knowledge and resources to help provide older people with quality of life while maintaining their dignity. Care managers can also help mediate in family conflicts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Family working together as a team to help our loved ones have the best quality of life possible takes work! And sometimes we have to ask for help to get a job done. The first step is identifying safety and care as the primary goal. The next step is identifying the strengths of our team and assigning roles that will help meet our loved ones\u2019 needs. The third step is recognizing if or when we need professional assistance. And remember: at the end of the, it\u2019s all about family! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just my two cents, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Penny <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The phrase \u201cyou can\u2019t choose your family\u201d is one that often comes up in difficult times. As our loved ones age, we are faced with navigating a healthcare system that can be challenging even for those working in healthcare. This is a time when we need our family most. However, family members are human beings, and humans are all different. I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[18,75,32,73],"class_list":{"0":"post-370","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-other","7":"tag-caremanager","8":"tag-care-manager","9":"tag-independent-care-manager","10":"tag-senior-health","11":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\n