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In the Shadows of Family-Centered Care: Parents of Ill Adult Children

Adults are living longer and more often with chronic diseases. Over 50% of all adults over the age of 40 years have at least one living parent. These parents are often watching their now adult children cope with serious life-threatening illness and do not know how to help. They are relying on healthcare professionals, often nurses, for support. Yet, this family dynamic is frequently not addressed. The state of knowledge about the effect of adult child illness on parents is not well researched. Limited research exists to provide helpful family-centered nursing interventions. Because of this shallow base of evidence, nurses largely depend on personal opinions and experiences about families when choosing to include or not include parents of adult patients in plans of care. This article discusses the usual demands of this relationship. Principles of family-centered nursing are suggested as a foundation for respecting the wishes of both adult patients and their parents. Caregiving strategies are suggested. Recognizing the relationship is the first step. Parents of ill adult children present with legitimate developmental issues and important family dynamics. There is much to learn about the best ways to support both adult patients and their parents.