Marriage and Family Life

Unit 7: Responding to Family Challenges

Objective 1: Identify changes and challenges that have a major impact on families.

• Abuse and neglect• Addiction• Alcoholism and drug abuse• Addition of a new child• Career change• Crime• Death of a family member• Depression• Disaster• Divorce

• Gambling• Health problems • Homelessness• Job loss or chronic

unemployment• Relocation/moving• Remarriage• Retirement• Sudden financial change• Violence

Objective 2: Determine the impact of aging on the family.• As older people experience a loss of health, loss of

independence, and reliance on a fixed income, greater strain is placed on other family members.

• Being in the “sandwich generation” can be a stressful situation that places great demands on the caregiver.

• As younger people watch family members grow older, they may be reminded of their own aging process.

Objective 2: Determine the impact of aging on the family.• Roles and relationships may change between family

members. • Many older adults continue to lead active and

productive lives. • Arranging for quality elder care can challenge

families who may already be dealing with the guilt of having to leave the parent.

Objective 3: Distinguish among housing alternatives available to older family members.

• Staying at home • Sharing housing• Moving in with relatives • Joining a retirement community • Joining a continuing care retirement community• Entering an assisted living center • Entering a nursing home

Objective 4: Differentiate between benefits and challenges of multi-generation families.

Benefits• Older adults may help the family financially and with

raising or caring for children.• Age and experience give a unique perspective on life to

share with younger generations.• Intergenerational relationships can provide

companionship and security for all family members.• Extended kinship families give a sense of the past and

identity to its members.

Objective 4: Differentiate between benefits and challenges of multi-generation families.

Challenges• Elder abuse may occur due to added stress on a caregiver.• Adjustments must be made to accommodate the older

adult.• More responsibility for eldercare may be placed on the

younger generation.• The older adult may assume to be the head of the

household, which may cause friction.

Objective 5: Determine how in-laws can have a positive or negative impacton families.

Positive Impact• In-laws may provide financial assistance to the family. • In-laws may provide non-financial support to the

family such as providing child care. • In-laws may be able to provide advice that they have

gained through their years of living.

Objective 5: Determine how in-laws can have a positive or negative impacton families.

Negative Impact• In-laws who try to interfere or influence the family

may put an undue stress on the relationship.• If the family is in business with in-laws, the business

relationship may strain the family relationship. • A poor relationship between the in-laws and the

family may cause resentment in the family and strain the ties between marriage partners.

Objective 6: Identify issues facing family members due to a death.

• Legal/financial issues • Emotional issues• Burial issues • Lifestyle issues

Objective 7: Identify guidelines for handling personal grief due to loss.• Accept the reality of the loss• Accept support from people who care• Allow yourself to express emotions, to talk and to cry.• Realize that grieving is a natural process. • Remember the good things about the person, place, or

thing that is gone. • Realize that the grieving process takes time.• Write a gratitude journal. • Help others. • Recognize that everyone grieves in different ways.

Objective 8: Rate personal ability to cope with change.

Objective 9: Explore personal feelings and emotions about death.

Objective 10: Identify resources for withstanding a crisis.• Personal resources• Mental health resources• Physical health• Financial resources• Family relationships• Support of friends• Employee Assistance

Program• Community resources• Crisis hotline

• Emergency shelters• Private/non-profit

organizations• Professional counseling

services• Religious or spiritual

groups• Social service agencies/

organizations• Support groups

Objective 11: Profile community resources for crisis management.

Objective 12: Identify guidelines for facing a crisis.• Face and accept the situation• Acknowledge feelings about the crisis; do not ignore

your emotions• Remain open to the efforts of other people to help

or support you• Think through needs, wishes, alternatives,

capabilities and resources• When you cannot stop dwelling on the crisis, do

something to help take your mind off the situation and help you feel better

Objective 13: Profile a response to a crisis.