From time to time, caregivers have questions about the best way to communicate the diagnosis of a loved one to other family members. Indeed, news of a diagnosis can be unsettling and disturbing to family members, so such a situation should be handled with care. Because every individual handles news differently, a blanket answer will not suffice here. Some individuals—no matter what the news—will seem to respond calmly. However, other individuals may show an intense expression of emotions. They may even have outbursts. This is especially true when it comes to young children, as they may not be able to fully comprehend the meaning of the diagnosis.
That said, however, caregivers should bear in mind that children shouldn’t be denied the truth. While they may not be able to comprehend the full extent of a diagnosis’s implications, children deserve to know what’s affecting their loved one. As such, caregivers should do everything they can to communicate the situation with their loved one in a way that children and other young family members comprehend. If you don’t feel capable or comfortable having this conversation with your younger family members, then you may want to consider having someone else—whom the child trusts—have this conversation. You may even wish to speak with a counselor about how to best address the matter. Finally, should you have any questions—especially those questions concerning how news of a diagnosis might affect other members of your family—you may wish to contact an Ohio elder attorney.
