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Family Cycle and Task
Family Cycle and Task
INTRODUCTION
Family is a Basic unit in society, and is shaped by all forces surround it. Values, beliefs, and customs of
society influence the role and function of the family (invades every aspect of the life of the family). Is a
unit of interacting persons bound by ties of blood, marriage or adoption. Constitute a single household,
interacts with each other in their respective familial roles and create and maintain a common culture.
DEFINITION
The family may be defined as a social and intimate nurturing group of individuals sharing a past,
a present and a future, including all who contribute in one way or the other to the family
culture, connected biologically, legally, or by choice; from whom one can reasonably expect a
measure of support in the form of food, shelter, finance and emotional nurturing.
The family generates events, tolerates and corrects healthcare problems within its membership
through the following means:
TYPES OF FAMILIES
Nuclear Family – Consist of husband, wife and their unmarried Children. Main
authority and decision making power lies with the husband the bread winner of the
family. He is considered as the head of the family. But trend is changing due to the
active participation of wife.
Joint Family –Consist of members of nuclear family along with uncles, aunts cousins
and grandsons. It is also called as extended family system. It ensures economic
security and progress, social security, share the responsibilities, help in developing
social virtues and rearing children. The demerit of joint family is the dominating
orthodox parents, little opportunity for individual autonomy.
Commune Family – Several adults are married to each other , they share everything
including sex and rearing of children
Family life cycle divides the family experiences into stages of the life span of families. It
describes changes in family structure and the roles during each stage. Seeks to explain change
in the family system including changes in interactions and relationships among family members
that occur over time.
Six stages of family life cycle :
Family development task are the growth responsibilities that arise at certain stages in the
lifespan of the family.
Evelyn Duvall’s (1977) family developmental framework provides a guide to examine and
analyze the basic changes and developmental tasks common to most families during their life
cycle. Every family has unique characteristics but there are descriptive normative pattern of
sequential development The stages of family development are marked by the age of the oldest
child, although there can be an overlapping of stages when there are several children in the
family
This model is based on traditional, nuclear, intact family form and does not consider families
whose life cycles are characterized by alternative development sequence i.e, couples who live
together but not married, childless couples, divorced, single parent, or remarried families.
STAGES
1.BEGINNING FAMILY
Challenges
Problems frequently arise when one of the partners has difficulty separating from
his/her family of origin, or if one of the partners come from a dysfunctional family.
Allowing undue influence from family members
Pressure to procreate
Failure to create a balance between in-laws and friends.
Failure to plan for pregnancy
Spousal roles are not assumed.
Role of the Community Health Nurse
Tasks.
Assume parental roles, expectations and values
Assume child rearing responsibilities
Adjusting to the critical needs and demands of an infant
Negotiate changes in work, recreation, housing, relationships with extended family. In-
laws initially, then a reliable nanny, and sometimes a dependable neighbour may help
with baby-sitting.
Challenges
Health problems that can be encountered include;
i) Acute illnesses like malaria, diarrhoea, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection etc.
ii) Care of a child with birth defects
iii) Malnutrition.
iv) Failure to thrive
v) Home accidents/poisons
vi) Anxiety state in parents
vii) Sleep problems
Establishing rules and communication regarding children.
Problems result when one parent, traditionally the mother, becomes over-invested in
her role as a parent, leadings to feelings of isolation in her partner who may begin to
spend more time at work and away from home.
Marital satisfaction begin to decline.
Tasks
Adapting to the pre-schooler’s needs, the parents’ energy and privacy reduce.
With the addition of another infant, parents experience increased childrearing
responsibilities.
Need for more living space in the home
More personal time to maintain intimacy and communication
Continue development of parental roles
Allow development of the new individual and relate to the developing personality.
Challenges
Conflict arises when one parent becomes the ‘good cop’ or the permissive partner while
the other parent plays the role of the ‘bad cop’ or the rule enforcer. This leads to stress
between the parents when the child misbehaves.
Opportunities for intimacy between partners are reduced
Counsel the parents to set firm boundaries which are consistently enforced in a non-
violent manner. The couple has to be unanimous in their decision.
Counsel the parents to maintain closeness
Challenges
Overprotection
Neglect
Not allowing discipline
Bullying, name calling
Social isolation
Challenges
Authority is often questioned and devalued
Adolescents tend to engage in risky behaviour like precocious sexual activity, engaging
in unprotected sex which could lead to STIsand unwanted pregnancies, illicit use of
drugs and alcohol abuse, reckless driving which could lead to motor vehicular accidents;
others include runaways, homicide and suicide.
Incidentally, parents could be going through mid-life crisis and would be trying to
expand their own life achievements,
Family members often react to the demands and crises of adolescents by either
distancing themselves from their behaviour, or becoming over-involved.
Play a supportive role by helping parents set reasonable and firm boundaries
Help identify when a family is having a hard time with this stage, so a referral for family
therapy can be made.
Interview adolescents to hear them out, bearing in mind their privacy. This reinforces
that the teenager needs to begin taking responsibility for his/her own health, and to
discuss confidential issues such as sexuality and healthy living.
Challenges
One or more of the children may continue to stay on in the house beyond acceptable
social norms
One of the partners may begin to experience ‘empty nest syndrome’
Parents who neglected devoting time to their relationship during the busy years of
parenthood may have a hard time adjusting to being alone together
Physical illness may occur like hypertension, diabetes, cancer and other non-
communicable diseases.
Encourage intimacy
Screen for non-communicable diseases
Managing illnesses through lifestyle modification and other appropriate means
Last child has left home. This stage begins after all the children have left the home, commonly
referred to as the ‘empty nest’ stage. Sometimes, adult children may return home and begin
care taking activities of the elderly relatives especially parents and parents-in-law. Period for
rebuilding the marriage and maintaining satisfying relationships both with aging parents and
with the children and their families. Freedom to cultivate social and leisure interest. Task
planning for retirement.Maintenance of physical and emotional health and careers are major
family concerns. Adjusting to physiological changes of aging.
Tasks
Work out separation issues around children
Rework spousal roles
Face unresolved issues of the past
Middle aged parents have more time and freedom to cultivate their social and leisure
interests
Rebuilding the marriage and maintaining satisfying relationships both with aging parents
and with the children and their families
Planning for retirement
Maintaining physical and emotional health, as well as their careers
Challenges
When working with older couples, the nurse should ask how the couple has changed
since one or both retired, how the couple is spending their time and how they share the
workload in the household
The Nurse should find out how they reacted to losses such as death of a spouse or close
friend/relative, decline in function and health
It is important and helpful to give counselling on end of life decisions like living will,
designating a power of attorney, estate planning etc.
8.AGEING FAMILIES
Begins with retirement of one or both spouses and continues until death of both marital
partners
Tasks
Develop other activities other than work and family responsibilities
Finding sufficient energy and motivation to seek and engage in pleasurable activities
within financial and health limitations
Accepting retirement with changing lifestyle
Accepting the death of spouse and friends
Face the physical and emotional problems of ageing
Deal with significant loss
Begin life review
Challenges
Chronic illnesses
Death of a spouse
Loneliness and regret
Difficulty in coping alone, leading to a short life span after death of spouse
Rehabilitation
Palliative care
Prevention and management of illness
Maintenance of general health and nutrition-fresh food ,exercise, contact with family
members, maintain interest in politics, social events, modification of sexual technique,
cohabitation
Prevention of accidents-falls, burns
Combating ageism-Arranging the use of their skills and knowledge for the benefit of the
younger generation eg. schools, not treating the aged like children, over protection of
the handicap, assuming all>65 act the same way
CONCLUSION:
Family’s growth an development corresponds to its members growth and development. With
the passage of the time the family’s structure , role , behaviours , interpersonal relationship etc
changes because family members grow , mature and adjust to their changing needs and
demands within the resources available in the family.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Gulani. K K “ community health nursing principles and practice first edtn, Kumar
publishing house page no- 130- 134
2. Barbara WS, Judith A A “Community Health nursing Concepts and Practice 4 th edtn,
Lippincott publishers.
3. Basavanthappa B T “ Essentials of community Health nursing” Jaypee publishers.