Family caregivers are often asked to step into roles they have no training for, and the tasks at hand are made more complex by complicated emotions and family dynamics.
Long-term care ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes, board and care homes, and assisted living facilities. They are also trained to resolve problems and can provide information about how to find a facility and what to do to get quality care.
In a paper titled “Working with Families: Tips for Effective Communication and Strategies for Challenging Situations,” Co-Author Robyn Grant outlines one approach to assisting families to solve problems on their own.
“It’s a framework with different steps for working your way through a problem or a concern,” says Grant, who is Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at National Consumer Voice for Long-Term Care, which advocates for quality care and services in any long-term care setting. “It helps families lay out the issues, see what the facts are, and figure out their goals and the steps they need to take to get there.”
Typically, family tension erupts because your family has not had to deal before with the practical, emotional, and financial issues that come with caregiving. Without realizing it, past conflicts, clashing personalities, tough decisions, and unequal contributions can cause more conflict than they normally would.
“With all these emotions swirling around, it’s so easy for discussions to degrade into screaming matches,” Grant says.
This problem-solving process can help your family work, analyze, and address any problem. Here is a look at the 11-Step Problem-Solving Process for Families:
No matter how complex your family dynamics may be, it is possible to establish consensus and get everyone on the same page.
For more tips, download How to Manage Challenging Family Dynamics When Making Long-Term Care Decisions.