Marlene S. Stum, Ph.D. & Claire Althoff; Family Social Science

Everyone seems to agree that family members need to talk about potential changes in health and independence, including long term care, before there is a crisis or someone is not able to communicate. But more often than not, spouses, aging parents/in-laws, siblings, and adult children, too often fail to initiate these important conversations. Does this sound familiar in your family? Communicating and planning ahead can reduce feelings of burden, guilt, and the potential for conflict that family members often experience when they are put in the position of making decisions for others.

So Why Don't We Talk?
Talking about human losses or changes in health and independence can be both emotional and filled with legal and financial complexities many find overwhelming. Few family members want to give the impression or admit that a family member might need long term care someday. In some cases, a family history of conflict among parents, in-laws, and siblings will influence if and how family members can communicate about this issue. There are many other reasons family members give for avoiding critical conversations about long term care. Do any of these sound familiar to you?