How Not To Tear Your Family Apart

Good communication is the key to success in any undertaking but especially when dealing across generations. In personally caring for or arranging care for friends or family members, individuals need to be understood, keeping in mind that life experiences differ greatly from one generation to another. Extended or long-term care options that work for one generation may be uncomfortable or unaffordable for another. The Jones family is typical of veiled generational challenges.

The Jones family spans three adult generations, which leaves plenty of room for misunderstanding, misinterpretation, and a lack of actionable knowledge.

Jackson arranges a Zoom call with Erik and Nicole. He invites Jodi’s parents to join a bit later than Erik and Nicole so he can bring them up to speed. Greetings indicate that everyone is happy to connect. Despite not wanting to dampen the mood, Jackson moves on to the topic at hand. He tells his children that he shared the information they provided and that Jodi is now on board, acknowledging her parents’ growing need for help.

“Mom visited with Grandma and Grandpa. It’s true that Grandma Carolyn has slowly become less steady on her feet. Of course, we’ve all now noticed it. Your mom has been dealing with it for some time. Your grandparents will join us in a few minutes, and we want to be careful to respect that they may not immediately warm to the idea of us arranging a plan for their future care. Let’s all remember that God gave us one mouth but two ears for a reason!”