ABSTRACT

Family constellations come in many sizes and varieties. A family can consist of one person and his dog, and it can consist of a group of people, with or without a common ancestry, living under one roof. For family members who are in the age range of emerging adults, having a sibling who is impaired can also delay autonomous development. Familiar family roles are disrupted, and whatever prior grievances that have developed are merely background to the loss that must be accommodated. The onset of the loss that launches the need for reorganization of the family system can potentially lead to de-sensitizing family members so that future crisis events can be more easily negotiated. In spite of continuing losses, many families eventually experience some positive outcomes from drastic changes in family structure and the discontinuity of the family life cycle. As caregiver’s age or wear out, family dynamics undergo significant change.