Dealing with Family Members

Your clients have their own place in their families.  They are spouses, children, parents, brothers, sisters and/or friends.  Whatever their family history, they bring it with them when they become part of your health care organization.

When a Loved One Is in Poor Health

When relatives are coping with the poor health of a loved one, they may:

• Worry about how they are going to pay for their loved one’s care.
• Be terrified that their loved one will be disfigured, disabled or even die.
• Feel helpless because their loved one’s health is out of their control.
• Be sleep-deprived from taking care of their loved one…or from worrying.
• Put off taking care of themselves because they are too stressed over their loved one’s health.
• Have to deal with family members who haven’t been “in the picture” for a long time.
• Be angry about how their own lives will change because of their loved one’s poor health.
• Feel overwhelmed by the health care system, including doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, therapists, tests, procedures and more!

How You Can Help

• Always greet everyone in the room rather than focusing solely on your client. This helps each family member feel supported.
• Remind your families that their own health is just as important as their loved one’s. Family members need moments away to refresh themselves so they can continue to support and care for their loved one.
• If you work with families who call and write, but never visit, encourage them to send letters, photos or little gifts to their loved ones.  Then, help your clients display these items in their rooms so they can see them daily.  Sometimes, these visual reminders of their families will help them feel better. 
• Always make your supervisor aware of any family arguments that you witness—even if they seem to be resolved—because, next time, the situation may escalate into something serious. 
• Let families know that you are there to listen if they need to talk.  (But, never force them to talk about their feelings.)  If they want to talk, listen without interrupting or offering advice.