Foundations of Family Dynamics in Eldercare

Eldercare often surfaces patterns that families have avoided for decades. Old roles return, unspoken tensions resurface, and small disagreements about logistics carry years of history. Understanding these patterns is the first step to navigating them. This foundational course gives you that lens. By the end of this course you will be able to describe the common family patterns that appear in eldercare, recognize which dynamics in your own family are stable and which need attention, and approach difficult conversations from a place of understanding rather than reactivity. What you will learn: - The typical caregiver roles families fall into: primary, supportive, distant, and absent - Why caregiving falls disproportionately on certain children and how that pattern can shift - How birth order, gender expectations, and geography shape caregiving roles - The difference between disagreement about facts, values, and trust - How long-buried sibling conflicts resurface under caregiving stress - How parent-child dynamics shift as the parent becomes more dependent - Common patterns: the over-functioner, the chronic critic, the silent withdrawer, the late arriver with strong opinions The course uses readings, narrative case examples, and self-reflection prompts. Each module ends with questions that help you see your own family's patterns more clearly without judgment. This course is written for adult children involved in caregiving and the spouses supporting them. By the end you will have replaced reactive interpretations of family behavior with a clearer map of recurring patterns, and you will be better prepared to approach the practical work of caregiving without each interaction triggering old wounds.