M5A1

Diversity and Families

Throughout this course, you have learned about various aspects of  multiculturalism. You have also been asked to critically analyze various  components of culture and discuss how and whether they relate to the  human services industry.

In Module 5, the focus has been on aspects of  diversity related to the family; however, there are a few aspects of  diversity that can impact a family that have not been highlighted in  this course—age and disability. As the average life span continues to  grow, more family members are caring for their elderly parents. Also,  family members are frequently taking care of a child, spouse, parent, or  extended relative with a disability, and it is important to consider disability in broad terms (i.e., a child with autism, a sister with multiple sclerosis, etc.).

Tasks:

In a minimum of 300 words, post your responses to the following:

• With regard to the human services industry, what challenges might  families face when it comes to caring for an elderly family member or a  family member with a disability?
• What are some resources available for families in these situations? Because disability is  a broad category, you may identify a specific disability to address. Be  specific in your responses and illustrate using examples.