1. Conceptual Background: Answer -The nurse must be willing to establish a relationshipwith the family and relate to the family in a way that creates a context for change. -Bell recommends focusing family assessment on relationships, include in the relationship those with the illness. 2. Terms Related to Family Assessment: Answer -Who constitutes the family? -Traditional based on relationships of blood, marriage, or adoption -Examples of familiesinclude:single-parent families, extended families, communes,gay and lesbian couples, multigenerational families -Family refers to two or more individuals who depend on one another for emotional physical and economic support, the members are self-defined. -The family is whoever they say they are! 3. Relationship Between Families and Illness: Answer -An ill person'sfamily is an essential part of the context in which the illness occurs. -The family members, the ill person, and even the illnessitself interact in such a waythat no one component can be separated from the rest. -The statistics on family caregiving show that families are very much involved in providing care for an ill family member (see Box 33-1).