Chronic Health Problems and Interventions for the Midlife Family

A midlife family typically consists of parents (or partners) in their 40s or 50s and children who are probably grown and may have already left home. Yet, many people decide to start a family in their midlife. At midlife most persons still lead busy lives and have many obligations (e.g., at work). They usually feel confident that they are fit and healthy, but in fact the majority of chronic health problems occur during this period of life. Coronary artery disease, such as hypertension and cardiac infarction, respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses often are detected during midlife and seriously affect the patient and, consequently, the family, which in turn can affect the ill family member's adaptation to illness.

Therefore, several comprehensive intervention programs, which ...