If Your Elderly Loved One Needs Care, But Won’t Accept Help...

Aging is hard. It’s an emotional and physical roller coaster, and it can be difficult, not only for the person aging (and we are all aging), but for family and friends who know that their loved one really needs help, but they won’t accept it. Whether they have experienced a physical injury or condition that limits mobility and strength and fine-motor control, or they are suffering some form of dementia that impairs cognitive function, it’s important to help them receive the care they need to still live their best lives. If your family is facing a situation like this, here are three ways to help your loved one. And if you are still struggling to find a way to help, please contact At Home Personal Care today for more recommendations.

1. Listen with Love

That’s really the best way to begin any conversation. Ask them how they are doing in their current situation. Observe how they are doing and ask questions, but without judgement. Once you understand their point of view, it might be easier to explain why you believe assisted living services or home care would make their lives better. If you have noticed safety issues, hygiene issues or other problems, just tell them that you love them and want them to be safe and stay independent as long as possible. Sometimes, it’s a basic misunderstanding of those terms. A home care plan can really be tailored to your loved one’s needs so that they can enjoy independence and stay at home even longer than without the care provided.

2. Share Common Goals

For many seniors, their independence and ability to live life the way they want to is critical to their mental and emotional health! The idea of giving part of that up as they age can be painful. One way to work through a conversation like this is to come up with a common list of goals you both share about their situation going forward. Start with things like:

• Helping them stay in their home, where they feel comfortable
• Maintaining as much independence as possible
• Quality of life improvements (activities and less stress about things they’re struggling with)
• More companionship and social interaction
• Spending more time with friends and family
• Staying safe while at home
• Still having control over life decisions

Home care is especially designed, and can be customized, to help you both achieve those quality of life goals that are so important to a feeling of wellness, independence and safety.

3. Discuss Home Care Benefits

With those common goals and a better understanding of their desires in mind, you can talk about how home care can help your loved one maintain independence, stay at home and all of those other things they still want out of life. Our home care agency can provide as much or as little care as your loved one really needs to stay safe and independent: from light housework, cooking and companionship all the way to live-in and highly skilled care and therapy, At Home Personal Care can help you create a plan that is as unique and special as your loved one.

It is so important that your loved one gets to make these choices. It is not possible to force someone to do something, even if you want them to take that step for their own good. Continue to provide love, compassion and service and continue sharing why home care could improve their quality of life. Contact us today for more help from At Home Personal Care: (703) 494-3989.