Papa Rafael Case Study Essay

The following case study will examine Papa Rafael who was self-referred to the community health organization for counseling services. Presently concerning him are a number of family issues; especially in relation to his family heritage. He strongly identifies with the people of Puerto Rico where some relatives currently live today. He feels as though this identity is being threatened due to the current dynamics of his nearby family in which he believes is turning away from the traditional values held by the Latino community. Due to a tragic accident, his son Jose, passed away after driving while intoxicated. Papa Rafael’s wife has also passed away since he moved to the United States. He is currently having serious health and mobility issues for which he relies on his daughter-in-law, Carla, to aid with his dialysis appointments. As such, a number of financial difficulties have appeared as a result and are exacerbating the situation. For these reasons, he is also unable …show more content…
As aforementioned, Papa Rafael is dependent on his daughter-in-law, Carla who is struggling herself. With her husband having passed away, she must work to provide for her children alone. The Latino culture values fathers as crucial to development of children. Now that Jose has passed away, this has created a large rift in the family which is reflected in the various issues that Carla and her children are experiencing. “Fathers are often viewed as being the link between their children and the broader social environment.” (Cabrera & Bradley, 2012, p. 235) Latino fathers communicate to their children the value of family, sacrifice, good behaviors, peer relationships and more. Being a male, Papa Rafael may feel as though he must do something in the stead of Jose for his grandchildren. With his age and health problems, however, this extremely difficult task is causing a great deal of