Family Support essay
In this paper I am going to discuss the advantages and potential problems associated with developing family support systems. I’ll take a closer look at several hypothetical situations. Kate, 29, is an unemployed single mother with one-year-old daughter. She got divorced because of numerous affairs of her husband. So, the young woman left without any financial support. Her family provides no family support as well. Another hypothetical client is 28-year-old Natasha who moves from place to place living with friends because she cannot keep a job for more than a month. Her family does not provide any financial support anymore as she can’t hold down a job so they have basically given up on her.
So, what can I do for my Natasha and Kate? First of all, it is important to stop feeling sorry for themselves and do something. Both ladies are unemployed. Having a job provides a person with essential needs like money, status, and a feeling of achievement. When people are fired, it may be upsetting. But having family support makes the transition to another job smoother. Family support may assist in 3 major categories: dealing with the financial loss; managing signs which come with losing a job, such as low self-esteem; and how motivated the person is to look for another job. These 3 conditions may reduce the period of being without a job and improve my clients’ positive outlook on life.
Family support also includes babysitting. It would allow Kate not to worry about her child and even to find a job with irregular working hours. Natasha also has to find a job and stick to it. She might require a professional help of the psychiatrist, however, it will let the girl have a job. Thus, her family will see that the girl is attempting to change her life.
Also, in this period of time it is highly recommended to arrange the family meetings. These meetings are a good chance to discuss all issues and express there feelings towards one another and the whole situation. Family mediation may help families to find the common language. It is the preferred method to resolve and prevent disputes. At the same time I don’t think I should tell Kate and Natasha what to do. I will only help them reach the agreements with the families concerning their troubles. Freely discussed agreements may help restore communication, understanding and trust.
Let’s look at another case. A prevention specialist in an agency that provides services to adolescents often meets children with positive HIV tests. Rod is one of these clients. He has not discussed it with his parents yet, but his mother discovered the receipt for his anonymous test results and wished to know the results. For children, support from the family is the central element in lives. As part of the growth experience, adolescents often expect many things from their family. Insufficient support will enlarge the opportunity of depression. This happens as adolescent become confused when they expect to obtain assistance from families, but it does not take place. A problem arises when the depressed child isolates himself/herself from public gatherings. This would prevent suffering adolescents from receiving any support at all.
I know for sure that in Rod’s situation I can not work with a child alone. To affect a child, I need to affect the family. The main key to family support is connecting people to help them become own problem solvers. So, in case of Rod I would launch a series of meetings with parents. Parents of ill children should be informed of HIV status to make proper decisions about treatment and involvement in clinical treatment trials. Doctors also always encourage adolescents to engage their parents in their care. Until a person admits the need for assistance, there is little that may be done. So, if the child is hiding his/her illness, it is hard to assist him/her. At the same time I can’t force a child to tell everything to his/her parents.
All people with HIV have the right to privacy about their diagnosis. This includes family, friends, and coworkers. However, for individuals with life-threatening diseases like HIV, a strong family support may assist in recovery and improve the quality of life. It gives patients more optimistic state of mind when it comes to suffering. With support, a child is more capable to accept and may come to terms with the illness. This in turn allows an adolescent to make positive steps in treatment.
The most useful power of an intervention comes from having the parents express anxiety and sympathy. Rod’s mother may write a letter to her child and then read it at the meeting. Such letters allow family members to demonstrate their feelings without blaming their ill child. Every family member may write, “I love you and I care about you, but I’m concerned.” These involvements may stress love and concern without negative approach.
