title: Working alliances not loggerheads: understanding and addressing dissonance between families and treating teams in older people's mental health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify and describe common sources of dissonance which arise for treating teams in older person's mental health and the strategies for addressing them.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review was conducted with the terms: 'family conflict and treatment team', 'family therapy and old age' and 'family caregiver'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We discuss the importance of an alliance with families regarding older people's mental health, and the contribution of engagement, attachment and family dynamics to dissonance. We offer strategies to prevent and address dissonance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To prevent and manage dissonance, its causes need to be identified and understood. Routinely 'thinking family' first, then 'knowing' and 'hearing' the family are crucial steps to enhancing communication with families.
authors: Staff Specialist, Sydney Local Health District, Marrickville, NSW, and; Visiting Medical Officer, Aged Care Psychiatry, Coffs Harbour Health Campus, Mid North Coast Local Health District, NSW, Australia carolyn.jones@sswahs.nsw.gov.au.
authors: Carolyn
authors: C
authors: Jones
authors: Conjoint Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, and; Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, and; Clinical Director, Specialist Mental Health Services for Older People, Northern Sydney Local Health District, NSW, Australia.
authors: Carmelle
authors: C
authors: Peisah
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations
keywords: communication; conflict; dissonance; elderly patients; family caregiver; mental health; patients’ family; treatment team