How chronic illness affects families – and how to cope when you know your loved one is going to die

Living with chronic illness in the family is hard. It’s even harder if you know that the person you love will get worse and won’t recover from their condition. Sadly, it can happen to any family at any time. Anyone – a grandparent, parent, sibling or partner – can develop illness or disability.

When this happens, the wellbeing of the whole family will be affected. Rather than look at each family member as an individual, systemic therapists see the family as a “system”...