10. Ways to Spot Dysfunctional Family Calls After Thanksgiving

How to IDENTIFY THE DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY WHEN THEY CALL YOU  After Thanksgiving

1.They are overly sensitive to criticism and disappointment. The difficult family feels easily criticized by the Aging Life or Geriatric Care Manager and may become defensive regarding the GCM’s recommendations.

2.They  become easily disappointed in the aging life or geriatric care manager if your suggestions do not have an immediate positive impact on the situation.

3.They may have intense emotional reactions. Different members of the difficult family may have intense reactions to the GCM’s suggestions and to other members of the family.

4.Family members will often disagree with each other about the extent of the older adult’s problems.

5..Families accept little responsibility for their actions and tend to blame others when things go wrong.

6.They tend to blame the GCM or other institutions when the older adult’s situation deteriorates or when the older adult resists a plan.

7.These families easily find fault with services or staff, and they become critical or angry without trying to discuss, understand, or resolve the perceived problem.

8.Have unrealistic expectations of their older relative. Difficult families often feel that the older adult can do more than what they seem capable of doing, either physically or cognitively.

9. have little patience or understanding for the resistance that older adults commonly show to accepting services.

10.May deny the existence of cognitive problems or disagree over how to handle behavioral issues, all signs of their own unresolved earlier issues.