The Family: Nuclear and Extended

The union is more than what’s happening "on the clock" at the jobsite; it is concerned with the overall well-being of the members. When HIV strikes, the worst thing that can happen is for the AIDS-infected person to become isolated from family and loved ones who fear getting the disease or fear being identified with someone who "has AIDS." This fear can become irrational. In some cases, AIDS-infected people have been threatened and beaten. Others have been burned out of their homes.

It is also unfortunate when people stay away from the sick person for fear of "bothering them." This happens not only with HIV disease, but also with cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses. The end result is that the person ends up feeling and being alone.

If the individual is not up to having company or talking on the phone at a particular time, let them tell you. And don’t forget to call back in a day or two. And at the same time, the people closest to the sick individual are also going through a lot, and sometimes they are forgotten. These people can include not only family, but also friends who are as close as family.

The person’s spouse or children may end up having a hard time, especially when the member is sick or hospitalized. As a result, the person with HIV ends up worrying not only about being sick, but also about how his or her loved ones are doing. The union, and especially the steward, can help reduce this worry and make life easier for the member and the member’s family. Here are a few ideas:

• Make a phone call to see if everything’s OK. 
  
  
• Provide someone to watch the kids so the adult caregiver can get a break. 
  
  
• Bring a hot meal for Sunday dinner or frozen prepared meals for later in the week. 
  
  
• Mow the lawn or shovel the snow. 
  
  
• Do some food shopping. 
  
  
• Pick up a prescription. 
  
  
• Give a lift to the doctor’s office.
  
  

As mentioned earlier, when the individual goes through one of the opportunistic illnesses, he or she may have it rough for a week or longer. But after the person has recovered and returns to work, it’s comforting for the individual to know that the union was there to provide support for them — and for his or her family.

Keep in mind: Even if there is no person with HIV disease at your worksite, there is always the chance that someone on the job is being affected by HIV and AIDS, either personally, through a relative or through a close friend. Joking about AIDS creates a bad atmosphere, discourages people from seeking help — and is just plain wrong.