How to Introduce Your Loved One to Elderly Home Care Services
The Population Reference Bureau projects that the number of American adults above 65 will grow from 52 million in 2018 to over 95 million by 2060. The seniors above 65 age group will make up almost 24% of the population.
With the population rapidly aging, it may become difficult to look after your aging parent. It may be painful seeing them struggle with basic activities of daily living. You need to learn the best way to introduce a discussion on elderly home care services.
As a primary caregiver, looking after your parent may take a toll on your physical and emotional health. You may need to enlist elderly home care services. How do you bring up the discussion? Use these six tips to make your parent more comfortable with in-home care.
1. Have an Open Conversation
The first step would be to talk to your loved one about the transition. Choose the right mood and setting to bring up the topic. Present your concerns about their health and the benefits of enlisting for help. It may be an emotionally-charged session. You should avoid it degenerating into a shouting match. Keep them calm and reassure them of their independence and safety.
2. Tell Them It’s for You
You may remove the sting of shame and self-loathe by informing them the services are to help you. Present it as an open suggestion for a friend to come around and help with the house chores. Making it sound like the help is about you, and not them may reduce the chances of rejection.
3. Listen to Their Fears
Having a stranger taking care of your parent may frighten them. Speak to them about their worries. Try to dig deeper into the reasons for rejecting the idea. The concerns may be about safety, losing independence, or shame for needing help. Identifying the root cause may help you find a way to reason it out and eliminate their fears.
4. Involve Them in the Decision Making
Building trust is the foundation of the whole process. You can establish trust by involving your loved one in choosing the elderly home care services. Don’t make it sound like your decision is final. Have a conversation on what they may like in an in-home caregiver.
5. Ask Your Doctor for Help
Most seniors trust and respect their physicians. You may also the physician or geriatric manager to help convince them if they are still adamant. The physician may also make it seem like a “prescription” by jotting it down. An unbiased third party they trust may be the nudge they need to accept the help.
6. Warm Up Your Loved One to the New Caregiver
You may propose an idea for a trial run, which may seem like a temporary plan. Start it off as a few hours every week. Alarys Home Care can also organize for respite care for a weekend to make a soft introduction to your parent. Talk about their experiences, stories, favorite music, and hobbies with the caregiver present.
Aging in place is an excellent way for your loved one to spend their senior years in a setting they cherish. Introducing elderly home care services may be challenging. After the initial awkwardness and apprehension, your parent may embrace the new setup and even appreciate the caregiver’s role.
