"Our Family, Our Way is a communication and care coordination process developed by Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center to help caregiving families think and talk about caregiving. For more information about Our Family, Our Way, please contact Dr. Jennifer Heston-Mullins at hestonjl@MiamiOH.edu or (513) 529-1858."

Project Overview

Status
Active
Categories
Gerontology
Education
Community
Caregiving
Start Date
September 5, 2025
Duration
Ongoing Project

Project Aims

1

Coaching

To help caregiving families think and talk about caregiving.

2

Coordination

Enable families to hold structured family care planning meetings

3

Communication

provides carefully designed materials to walk your family through the process of holding a family meeting to decide on care and support needed

Detailed Project Description

Our Family, Our Way is a communication and care coordination process developed by Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center to help caregiving families think and talk about caregiving.

When a person needs care and support, their family is usually first in line to provide it. However, family caregiving can be both rewarding and challenging. Sometimes one person ends up in a primary caregiving role, taking on the majority of care and support responsibilities, without any real discussion about what works best for everyone involved. Some families need help deciding who will do what, where and when it will happen, and how it will be accomplished—Our Family, Our Way is an innovative process designed to provide that help.

We can all benefit from clear and effective communication around family caregiving. Whether a family has just started thinking about care and support or have been caregiving for a while, communication can make a big difference in quality of life for persons with care needs and care partners.

Our Family, Our Way: A Communication and Care Coordination Process for Family Caregivers is an innovative process developed by Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center to assist caregiving families in coordinating care through clear communication. This process provides families with resources to hold productive family meetings, discuss care needs, and define caregiving roles and responsibilities. The initiative includes individual tools, a family meeting guide, and other support materials to ensure a collaborative and well-organized caregiving arrangement.

Aims

1: Provide families with the tools and resources to facilitate clear communication about caregiving roles and responsibilities.

2: Enable families to hold structured family meetings to discuss and agree upon care plans, support needs, and responsibilities.

Dates

Dates:
The project is ongoing and does not have a specified end date.


Funder

Miami University Scripps Gerontology Center

Acknowledgements: Acknowledgement of the Scripps Gerontology Center team, caregivers, and families who contributed feedback and support for the development and implementation of the program.

Project Personnel

Reports and Publications

A list of publications and reports. These can link to PDF files or other websites.