What Kinds of Recourse Do You Have with a Senior Who Resists Extra Help?

Sometimes extra help is something that you see the need for right away and your aging adult insists isn’t necessary at all. This is frustrating, for sure, but it can also mean that your senior is struggling with situations she really shouldn’t have to struggle.

 

Elderly Care in Wayne NJ: Caregiver Resources

Elderly Care in Wayne NJ: Caregiver Resources

 

Stay Positive about All the Different Options for Extra Help

The biggest thing you can do to convince your senior that accepting help is a good thing is to avoid being negative about it. If you’re ever referring to extra help for your senior as anything less than positive, your aging adult is going to make the same association. Building positive associations and relationships, especially with home care providers, is going to make a huge difference.

 

Give it a Solid Try, Even if it’s Temporary

It can take a while to find the right combination of help between other family members, senior care providers, and you. Some of those situations may be very temporary and that’s fine. Give each situation an honest effort because you never know which one will be the exact right fit for all of your elderly family member’s needs.

 

Be Transparent about What This Can Do for You

Something that many family caregivers overlook is that their aging adults don’t want their caregivers to suffer or sacrifice themselves constantly. But if you hide your difficulties from your elderly family member, she doesn’t know what having extra help can do for you. Be transparent about the fact that having additional help is going to allow you to do more and to be a better caregiver.

 

Stand Down and Regroup When it Makes Sense

You may not get the response that you are looking for after the first attempt at this conversation or even after the fifth attempt. The best that you can do at that point is to back off, regroup, and try again another time. This doesn’t mean that you’re giving up, it means that you’re giving your senior time to think about what you’ve said.

It may not be easy for your elderly family member to accept help from you or from other people, but that doesn’t mean that she won’t finally come around.

 

If you or a senior family member are considering elderly care in Wayne, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Caring Solutions Home Care LLC.  In-home senior care servicing Bergen & Passaic Counties. Call today (973) 427-3553.

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Pamela DelColle, RN, CCRN