Family Influences Week 4: Health Promotion Across School-Aged Through Adulthood;

A couple with children goes through a divorce, and each remarries. New children are added to the family; however, the family connection transcends the changes. What family characteristic is this?

Durability

• means the ability to withstand pressure and form a system of support. ​

The primary income provider in the family becomes injured and unable to work. Another member of the family must take over that role to support the family. What family characteristic is this?

Resiliency

• means the family can cope with expected and unexpected stressors.

Some families have children later in life, while others may include extended family members living in the home. Everyone’s family looks different. What is the family characteristic is this?

Diversity

• means that each family unit is unique

When one family member is acutely ill, family function, communication, and roles are challenged and possibly altered. What family characteristic is this?

Dynamic

• means that family interactions are affected by family configuration, structure, function, problem-solving, and coping capacity.

What are 4 different types of family charcteristics?

• Durability

• Resiliency

• Diversity

• Dynamic

What are 5 common types of family form?

• Nuclear Family

• Extended Family

• Single Parent Family

• Blended Family

• Alternative Family

A couple named Mary and John live together with their daughter, Susie. What family form is this?

Nuclear Family​

• Consists of two adults and sometimes one or more children ​

 A couple named Joan and Jacob live with their two children and Joan’s parents. What kind of family form is this?

Extended Family​

• Consists of relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins) in addition to the nuclear family​

Tom lives alone with his daughter, Samara, after the death of his partner. What kind of family form is this?

Single Parent Family

• Formed when one parent leaves the nuclear family because of death, divorce, desertion, or when a single person decides to have or adopt a child​

A couple named Sally and Jamal live together with Sally’s son, Timmy, and Jamal’s son, Michael. What kind of family form is this?​

Blended Family​

• Formed when parents bring children from previous relationships into a new joint-living situation​

A couple named Sandy and Jennifer live together with their adopted son, Dakota. What kind of family form is this?

Alternative Family​

• May include multi-adult households, grand families (grandparents caring for grandchildren), communal groups with children, adults living alone, and cohabitating partners​

What some challenging factors that can influence family?

Change in structure and role

• Ex: economic status, illness, aging family members, or some other stressor.

What are Family caregivers?

Not limited to direct family members or only for older adults. This type of caregiving is often termed informal or unpaid care and can impact the caregiver's health and create caregiver role strain. Provide most of the emotional and physical care for family or friends

What are caregivers are at increase risk of developing?

• Depression​

• Obesity​

• Arthritis

Family Influence:

Poverty

Households with lower incomes tend to be uninsured, leading to healthcare access issues. Additionally, safe housing and nutritious food may be difficult to obtain.​ 

Family Influence:

Homelessness

• When housing is unstable, chronic health problems are more common. This results from exposure to the elements, poor nutrition, and lack of access to healthcare.

• Children experiencing homelessness are especially vulnerable, with higher rates of asthma, ear infections, and poor dental health. Lack of access to healthcare leads to a lack of immunizations. ​​

Family Influence:

Interpersonal Violence

• A term that reflects multiple forms of violence, regardless of the relationship of the offender. A pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including threats or the use of violence.

• intimate partner violence, domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking. 

• Stressors such as poverty, social isolation, mental health illness, and substance-use disorders contribute to violence.

Family Influences and Wellness:

Family values and economic circumstances

Family values and economic circumstances shape a client’s views on wellness and health promotion.

What is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)?

ACEs are potentially traumatic events occurring during childhood, such as abuse, violence, and exposure to substance-use disorders.

What are some behavioral effects of ACEs?

• poor self-control​​

• problem avoidance​​

• decreased self-esteem​​

• pessimistic thinking​​

Resilient Children

• Resiliency means to successfully cope with expected and unexpected stressors.

• Children who overcome adverse childhood experiences can be considered resilient. A caregiver who offers safety and protection after a traumatic event can foster this resilience.

When children have resilience, what are some positive factors that influence the child’s lifestyle?

• Realistic Goal setting

• Self-esteem

• Learning from your mistakes

• Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses

• Self-Control

• Willingness to overcome challenges

• Optimism

• Social skills

• Ability to recognize emotions in yourself and others

Family Health:

Value, Beliefs, and Health Practices

A family’s values, beliefs, and health practices strongly impact the family’s structure and function. They influence health-promoting behaviors, shaping both positive and negative practices. It is crucial that healthy behaviors be reinforced early in life to positively impact later health practices.

Family Health:

Crisis Proof or Prone

A crisis-proof family balances the need for stability with the need for growth and change. They adopt flexibility, adjust roles as needed, and accept support from outside sources. In contrast, a crisis-prone family struggles to maintain control over its environment and has difficulty adapting to changes and challenges. ​

Family Health

Genetic Factors

Some families have a genetic predisposition or susceptibility to certain diseases. By identifying this susceptibility, genetic counseling may help a family decide whether to have children or to test for the presence of a disease that may be genetically inherited. When the family understands the risks, they can make informed decisions that are in the best interests of the entire family unit. ​