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Visions Journal

Supporting Parents

PDF | EPUB | Vol. 17, No. 1 (2021)

Mental illnesses and substance use problems affect the entire family. When a parent is ill, others wonder if they are capable of caring for their family. When a child has a mental illness or substance use problem, others judge and blame the parents—what did they do to cause this? Adult children may have to navigate caregiving in systems that don’t always recognize mental health and substance use problems among older adults. Current health systems focus on the individual, excluding family members or simply avoiding those questions altogether. There is an alternative: family-centred care. If mental illnesses and substance use problems affect the entire family, then the entire family also needs support and understanding.

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