Six Ways to Talk to Your Parents About Getting Help at Home
It can be difficult to realize the fact that your parents may need assistance and help with day-to-day activities, and it can be a struggle hiring a professional caregiver for help. Your loved one may react to this decision with some reluctance. When you discuss the subject of an in home caregiver, use patience and tact. Following are some points to keep in mind that can help you have a more successful conversation with your parent.
Below are some tips, based on experience with families facing these struggles, that will help guide you to a productive conversation with your parent:
1. List advantages.
Create an atmosphere that a quality in home caregiver is desirable to your loved one. List benefits and the positive impact that hiring a caregiver for your parent may be: explain how living at home is more desirable than moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home. When seniors remain at home; in-home care is often less costly; they will receive a higher level of attention whit in home senior care.
2. Independence should be a focus of the conversation.
Explain about the benefits of a in home caregiver, and how your loved one will continue to enjoy their independence in their own home. Has your loved one already fallen? Help them understand the consequences of a serious fall – how it could lead to hospitalization and surgery, followed by a lengthy recovery period and limited independence. The same process could be used if they forget to take their medications, forget important events or miss doctor appointments.
3. Try various approaches.
Try suggesting to your parent that in-home care would benefit their spouse. They may be more open to accepting the care for their loved one, even if in reality, it both parents will benefit from the care. If parent lives alone, discuss concerns or activities that are most important to them. Your parent express that they do not need help, however they may be consider allowing someone helping with housekeeping and meal preparation.
4. Make it about other family members.
Explain to your parent how much you worry about them. Or if you have been a caregiver explain that the additional time and responsibilities too much and that you are taking time away from your children and career duties. 55 percent of Americans say being a burden on their family is issue that weighs heavily on their mind. When approaching your parent about accepting in-home help, you might say, “I worry about you…and even if you tell me I shouldn’t, it is something that concerns me. Please consider having someone come in once a week, even if it is just for me?”
5. Mitigate fear.
An senior can act negatively towards a caregiver at times, but this action is most likely out of fear. Prior to attempting to overcoming this fear, it is important to understand it. Senior often fear loosing their independence, lack of control and and financial worries. The presence of a stranger in the home will sometimes leave the senor feeling vulnerable. Take this into, do not respond with frustration, be empathetic. Understand how your own emotions may be influencing the conversation. Make sure to choose an appropriate time and place for these discussions.
6. Test it out on a trial-basis.
Use a professional caregiver for in-home assistance on a short-term basis, or recovery care, after a hospital stay. This will show your loved one that having a caregiver is not something to fear. This positive experience can often leads to them being open to ongoing care.
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