Strategies for a New Year Reset in CF Families

Strategies for a New Year Reset in Cystic Fibrosis Families

By Jhoanna Rae Marquez, PT, DAC, INHC

The start of a new year often brings pressure to transform every aspect of our lives. For families living with cystic fibrosis, the daily treatment burden already requires significant time and energy. Research shows that the average care regimen can take between one and two hours every day. Any reset should focus on efficiency and sustainability rather than adding new tasks.

Review Your Routine

The best way to maintain care isn’t necessarily to do more; it’s to make current treatments work better within your family’s rhythm. A 2024 study in Patient Preference and Adherence found that successful long term CF management depends on established family routines, not sporadic bursts of motivation.

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Look at your existing routine. What works? What doesn’t? Maybe airway clearance could happen during a favorite family podcast or a specific show that everyone enjoys together. One family I know schedules treatments during their evening TV time, making it less of an interruption and more of a shared experience.

Creating a consistent schedule reduces the mental load on everyone. When treatments happen at predictable times, children know what to expect, and caregivers spend less energy negotiating or remembering what comes next. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about reducing the daily decision fatigue that builds over time.

Think about your week. Are there times when treatments consistently get skipped or rushed? Those are your opportunity zones. Maybe morning treatments could shift 15 minutes earlier, or evening ones could pair with an established bedtime routine. The goal is to find what’s sustainable for your specific household, which will look different for every family.