Family Systems and Life Cycles

1. Family Systems and Life Cycles Mary Knutson, RN Viterbo University MSN Student December 26, 2004

2. What is a Family? • Two or more individuals, coming from the same or different kinship groups, who are involved in a continuous living arrangement, usually residing in the same household, experiencing common emotional bonds, and sharing certain obligations toward each other and toward others.

3. Family-Centered Nursing • Gives a broader picture for care of an individual • Recognizes that family units may also need care • Assumes that families playa critical role in maintaining health • Dysfunction in one member may be related to family disturbance • Supportive relationships are important during times of illness

4. Characteristics of Families • Every family is a small social system • Every family has its own cultural values and rules • Every family has structure • Every family has certain basic functions • Every family moves through stages in its life cycle

5. What is a Family Life Cycle? • The emotional and intellectual “stages” you pass through from childhood to your retirement years as a member of a family • They are important because your family can profoundly influence your behavior and development • Successful transitioning may help prevent disease and emotional or stress-related disorders

6. Transitional Stage (Carter and McGoldrick) • “Between Families” stage includes leaving family of origin and beginning a family of marriage • Developmental Tasks: • To differentiate self in relation to the family of origin • To develop intimate peer relationships • To establish self in relation to work and financial independence

7. Eight Stages of Nuclear Family Life Cycle (Duvall and Miller) • Married Couples (No children) • Childbearing families • Families with preschool children • Families with school children • Families with teenagers • Families launching young adults • Middle-aged parents • Aging family members

8. Married Couples • No children • Beginning families • Developmental Tasks: • To establish a mutually satisfying marriage • To relate harmoniously to the kin network • To plan a family

9. Childbearing families • Oldest child aged birth to 30 months • Developmental Tasks: • To set up young family as a stable unit • To reconcile conflicting developmental tasks and needs of family members • To maintain mutually satisfying marital relationship • To expand relationships within family

10. Families with preschool children • Oldest child aged 2½ to 6 years • Developmental Tasks: • To meet basic family needs (housing, food, etc.) • To socialize the children • To integrate new child members into the family • To maintain healthy relationships within the family

11. Families with school children • Oldest child aged 6 to 13 years • Developmental Tasks: • To socialize the children • To maintain a satisfying marital relationship • To meet physical health needs of family members

12. Families with teenagers • Oldest child aged 13 to 20 years • Developmental Tasks: • To balance freedom with responsibility of teenagers • To focus on the marital relationship • To communicate openly between parents and children

13. Families launching young adults • Stage begins when oldest child leaves home and ends when youngest child leaves home • Developmental Tasks: • To balance freedom with responsibility of teenagers • To focus on the marital relationship • To communicate openly between parents and children

14. Middle-aged parents • Stage begins with empty nest and ends at start of retirement • Developmental Tasks: • To prepare for retirement • To re-focus on marriage without children • To realign relationships to include in-laws and grandchildren • To adjust to role as caregiver with declining health of elderly parents

15. Aging family members • Stage begins with spouses’ retirement and ends at their deaths • Developmental Tasks: • To promote healthy, active retirement as body ages • To explore new family and social roles • To adjust to a reduced income, and loss (death of siblings, friends, and spouse) • To review and reflect on life and experiences

16. Communicates Affirms/Supports Respects Trusts Provides play/Humor Shared Responsibility Teaches right and wrong Shares leisure time Rituals and traditions Interaction balance Shared religious care Respects privacy Values service to others Values table time and conversation Admits to and seeks help with problems Traits of a Healthy Family

17. Family Functions Contributing to Health Promotion • Affection: Provides a nurturing emotional climate that contributes to healthy growth and development • Sense of cohesiveness and nurturance • Maintaining morals and motivation • Socialization • Physical maintenance • Provides and regulates economic resources

18. Family Nursing Process • Collect family data • Build a trusting relationship • Identify family strengths • Identify actual or potential problems • Set mutually agreed upon goals • Set priorities • Initiate interventions • Evaluate effectiveness

19. Role of the Nurse in Family Health Promotion • Collaborate between family and health professionals • Function as as client advocate • Promote and provide health education • Assist family to access resources • Guide families to identify strengths • Establish priorities for change and growth • Formulate and evaluate plans for lifestyle modification

20. References • www.healthsci.clayton.edu/NURS410/familysy.htm • www.unt.edu/cpe/module2/thrybase.htm • www.peacehealth.org/kbase/topic/special/ty6171/sec1.htm