ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an understanding of both personal and health care delivery system risks. Health care providers who do a significant amount of psychotherapy are already cognizant of issues of emotional risk, such as counter transference. Risks in the health care delivery system include the over involvement, or triangulation, of professional support systems and the ubiquitous question of how to arrange the disposition of patients with dementia. The concerns of health care providers and their families should not be simply ignored or treated lightly. A forum for discussion is critical, since it is often extremely difficult for health care providers to admit their fears and emotional vulnerability. Health care providers are, after all, meant to be invulnerable. In addition to grief, helplessness, and anger, there are differences in culture and belief systems, secrets, and taboos that can also raise feelings in the health care provider that are difficult to deal with.
