In moments of crisis, a
family’s ability to function effectively is likely to be impacted negatively. .
Perhaps if we give as much priority to perfecting family resilience as much as
we do to other segments of our lives, we can strengthen our family’s ability to
tide through difficult and challenging times.
Family resilience is
the ability of a family to continue functioning effectively following the
occurrence of traumatic events. This includes caring for the family members and
completing daily tasks and responsibilities.
Family resilience
depends largely on adaptation. Over time, without strengthening family
resilience, the first traumatic experiences may set off a cascade of
difficulties and stressors. And if we aren’t resilient by then, it wouldn’t be
long before the tide sweeps us away.
In this article, we
will discuss ways of building family resilience in moments of crisis. Keep
reading below!
Family Resilience – What it is
As mentioned above, adaptation is the key feature of family resilience. It enables a family to maintain regular function without shutting down when disasters and other problems strike. Families have to suffer countless inevitable traumatic stressors, such as:
- Loss of family income through an accident, business loss, etc.
- Major disruptions in everyday living resulting from natural and other disasters
Sometimes, family resilience helps families bounce back to their previous lives before the traumatic situation materialised. At other times, family resilience will empower families to move forward, pick up the shattered pieces and build a stronger future. It enables them to adapt to changing circumstances
without affecting their domestic operations.
The fact is that family resilience varies in every case due to numerous factors. These include:
- Challenges resulting from existing stressors
- The challenges from pre-existing stress and other daily hassles
- The availability of resources
- The coping skills of the family
Resources available outside the family system, such as in the community
When stressful events occur, they present various challenges when the following happens:
–
Changing family memberships
–
Changes in care requirements of the family members, especially if there are special needs individuals
–
Stage of development of different family members
Various factors influence a family’s resilience, including cultural and community texts. There are also community-wide stressors to consider, such as community violence or poverty and such problems, which could add to the stress.
