Caring for Your Loved One with Mental Illness

For those who have family caregivers (FCs), advocating for their loved one is paramount, especially during periods of acute or exacerbated mental illness that is interfering with medical care. As the nurse forms relationships with the FC, FCs can give insight into the patient’s history of mental healthcare treatment, baseline behaviors, triggers, and successful interventions. In the story told in this chapter, the patient’s acute mental health illness became priority to be able to treat an acute and potentially lethal physical illness. Getting vital patient information from the FC was key.