Parent in Residential Care Facility

The admission of a parent into a Residential Care Facility for Dependent Elderly People (EHPAD) can act as a catalyst in family dynamics. Relationships between siblings, often long-standing, can be reevaluated and transformed in this context. The responsibilities of care, emotional management, and decision-making can exacerbate existing tensions or create new ones.

This period can be an opportunity to strengthen bonds among siblings, but it can also rekindle past resentments. As therapists, it is essential to be attentive to this family dimension to grasp all the subtleties of potential interactions and conflicts.

Aging is a natural process, but it is often accompanied by loss of autonomy and the need for appropriate care. When home care is no longer possible due to the parent’s health condition, the option of a Residential Care Facility becomes relevant. However, this transition represents an emotional upheaval for families, filled with ambivalent feelings such as guilt, sadness, and sometimes even relief.

Making the decision to place a parent in a Residential Care Facility is often a source of guilt. The therapist helps clarify the underlying motivations, evaluate alternatives, and accept the decision made with kindness. In this context, psychological support plays a key role. We intervene to frame, support, and guide our patients throughout this complex process.

Here are some main lines of intervention: We start by assessing the specific situation of each family. It is crucial to provide clear and empathetic information about the reasons that make admission to a Residential Care Facility necessary. The emotions felt are often intense and contradictory. It is essential to create a safe space where children can freely express their feelings without fear of being judged. Validating these emotions is a first step towards their relief.

The parent’s transfer to the facility can raise deep anxieties related to the fear of no longer recognizing one’s parent. The prospect of seeing the parent’s identity transform or be lost can be terrifying.

Additionally, this change often leads children to question their own aging and consider what the future holds for them. It can also be an opportunity to reassess or take stock of the parent-child relationship.

The therapist’s role is also to accompany the close relatives in what they can discuss with the parent joining a facility to build a relationship at this stage of life.