Phases of Care in a Long Term Crisis

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One of the challenges of long term care is the gradual and difficult adjustment to the extent of the problem. The phases listed below were gleaned from an actual small group that had offered care to a family where the husband had a stroke and needed around-the-clock assistance for many months.

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Deer in Headlights — This is the beginning of a crisis and requires a care group to be mobilized to help the family think clearly. Sometimes people even need to be reminded to eat! It is an opportunity for caregivers to step in and remind the family that not all is caving in and that they are surrounded by a loving community of believers who will shoulder the burden with them. 

This Isn't Going Away — The family and those involved get a clear picture that this is going to be something that will not be resolved quickly and will require long term care. This is where the small group needs to be involved. It is important to communicate to the family that you will be there for the long-haul and you need to mean it. There are people in your congregation who are at stages and seasons of life that can be more available (singles and empty-nesters) and it is a wonderful place for them to serve.

Settling In — The small group and helpers begin to gain momentum. The family is out of crisis mode and beginning to adjust to a new routine. Although life has been radically disrupted, the family has adjusted and is beginning to take more responsibility for their own day-to-day needs. This is when the small group overseeing things will need to re- evaluate what the ongoing needs are, how they will be handled, and how to guard everyone from burn-out.

This Is the Way It Is — At this point, the small group needs to decide what the family’s ongoing needs will be and what the family can begin to do for themselves. It is also crucial to attend to the needs of those who have been caring for the family. This, to me, is where the elder and deacon in the group need to focus. They are there to care for the care-givers. This protects both officers and care-givers from burning out.

Remember that this is a long term situation. Having a sense of the terrain can help you navigate and be the best support you can possibly be for the family you are helping.

 

Copyright © 2013 Timothy S. Lane. All rights reserved.

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Tim Lane

Dr. Timothy S. Lane is the President and Founder of the Institute for Pastoral Care (a non-profit that helps equip churches to care for their people) and Tim Lane & Associates (a counseling practice in Fayetteville, GA). He is a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), having been ordained in 1991 and a member of Metro-Atlanta Presbytery. Tim has authored Living Without Worry: How to Replace Anxiety with Peace, and co-authored How People Change and Relationships: A Mess Worth Making. He has written several mini-books including PTSD, Forgiving Others, Sex Before Marriage, Family Feuds, Conflict, and Freedom From Guilt.

He has experience in both campus ministry (University of Georgia, 1984-1987) and pastoral ministry where he served as a pastor in Clemson, SC from 1991 until 2001. Beginning in 2001 until 2013, he served as a counselor and faculty at a counseling organization  in Philadelphia, PA. Beginning in 2007, he served as its Executive Director until 2013.

In 2014, Tim and his family re-located to his home state, Georgia, where he formed the non profit ministry the Institute for Pastoral Care. His primary desire and commitment is to help pastors and leaders create or improve their ability to care for the people who attend their churches. For more information about this aspect of Tim's work, please visit the section of this site for the Institute for Pastoral Care. He continues to write, speak and travel both nationally and internationally. Tim is adjunct professor of practical theology at several seminaries where he teaches about pastoral care in the local church.