Family Crisis

same language. But in spite of all these attacks, the family is still the best social unit we've got and there seems little likelihood of any alternative to it. Theories that schizophrenics are 'driven mad' by their relatives are so far without proof (or even serious attempts at proof) though we do know that all kinds of stress may sometimes be involved in starting illness. In spite of the tremendous development of public services, most chronic sickness and disability still has to be cared for within the family?Peter Townsend has found, for instance, that there are far more totally disabled old people at home than in institutions of all kinds. The trend towards community care has put more families into the position of acting as unpaid nurses, yet in terms of money, we pile every imaginable disincentive on the family which actually wants to keep a sick member at home. Wouldn't it be better then to try and help the family?to encourage its healthy aspects and to add support where it is failing?rather than just to condemn, as some of our 'Telly-prophets' do.