Family Therapy for Caregivers of Older Adults (3 CEU - 1 Ethics & 1 Cultural Competency)

Chronic illness is almost universal in older adults, with over 80% of people over 65 in the US affected by one condition, and over 60% by multiple. In an aging worldwide population with increasing incidence of chronic difficulties, caregiving is becoming more complex, and increasingly an occupation of individuals and families. Chronic illness itself has both evident and unseen impacts on wellbeing: both for the person who experiences it, and their families, who in turn must decide how to respond to these life transitions, care burdens, and their own reactions. Family therapists are therefore well placed to support caregivers and help alleviate these broad impacts, using theoretical models that recognize the psychosocial dynamics of caregiving beyond the biomedical impact on the individual experiencing illness. This webinar is led by a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in the care of older adults and their loved ones experiencing chronic and terminal illness, and a former mental health and palliative care nurse turned student psychotherapist, bringing decades of clinical experience across two continents to bear on this topic. Attendees will be informed on the climate of chronic illness care, the nature of common and serious long-term conditions, and their various physical, social, psychological and spiritual impacts on the individual. Myths, preconceptions, and unseen difficulties of caregivers will be highlighted, delving into caregiver stressors and consequences. The evidence base and literature regarding chronic illness caregiving in a multicultural context will be examined, to inform the use of therapeutic models of family and couples therapy with caregivers. The role of the family therapist will be addressed, including common therapeutic themes, scope of practice, and practical issues.