Family–Therapist Relationships in Caring for Older Adults

ABSTRACT

Occupational therapists collaborate with family members when working with older clients. An understanding of the complexities within family–therapist relationships can optimize health care for older adults. This interpretive inquiry study used interviews and written responses to focused questions from 16 occupational therapists to describe insights of their interactions with family members of older clients. The analysis was performed using constant comparative approach. Exploration of the family–therapist relationships were situated in therapists’ stories and clinical experiences. Participants described challenges such as differing views, elder abuse, and cognitive impairment in the caregiver. This paper highlights the intricacies of family–therapist partnerships and therapists’ need for support. Strategies for optimal family–therapist relationships are discussed in the context of the results and the literature.

KEYWORDS. :

• Caregiving
• older adults
• therapist–family relations