Family dynamics are the patterns of relating, or interactions, between family members. Each family system and its dynamics are unique, although there are some common patterns. All families have some helpful and some unhelpful dynamics.
According to USRDS data from. 2006,nearlyonehalfofincidentdialysispatientsin. the United States are senior citizens, with the me-. dian age at dialysis initiation at 64.4 yr old.1 Fur-. thermore,theelderlyarethefastest-growinggroup. of incident dialysis patients, meaning that this me-.
In any event my mom, at the age of 87, was forced to begin dialysis treatments 3 times a week to cleanse her blood of contaminants and rid her body or excess water. It is very important that family members of dialysis patients be an active participants in the care and management of a dialysis patient.