[Applying the family adjustment and adaptation response model to care of an AIDS patient's family].

Discrimination against AIDS patients occurs in our society, not only influencing the patients but also restricting their usage of social resources. We report on a 31-year-old AIDS patient facing a family crisis because of an imbalance between the meanings, demands, and capabilities of his family. In this paper, we have applied the family adjustment and adaptation response (FAAR) model to assess this family, and identified three health problems, including (1) poor communication among family members, (2) deficiency in disease-related knowledge and skill, and (3) dysfunctional processing among the family. Throughout the care, we adopted a family-centered belief to communicate with the family to resolve their misunderstandings. We provided the family with information related to the disease to reduce their stress arising from caring for the patient. We also helped the family to utilize social resources by coordinating multi-disciplinary care. The family successfully restored a balance between meanings, demands, and capabilities. If we can apply this model clinically to understand the capabilities, demands and meanings of family existence as well as to help family members to develop their capabilities, reduce demands and recognize the positive meanings of family, we can help AIDS patients and their families to achieve positive adaptation.