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Home » Talking to Your Senior About the Need for Homecare
You have noticed challenges and difficulties that your parent is facing. You have acknowledged that you are not able to fulfill all of their needs in the way that they deserve, or you believe that they would benefit from additional care and support. You have come to the conclusion that starting homecare is the best way for you to help your parent live the lifestyle that they desire and experience the greatest fulfillment during their later years.
Now it’s time to talk to your senior about their need for homecare and your decision to start this type of care in their routine. This can being intimidating conversation, but approaching it with honesty and the willingness to discuss the situation can make it easier and more beneficial for both of you.
Use these tips to help you talk to your senior about the need for home care:
Be upfront and honest with your parents about the concerns that you have about them. Tell them the things that you have noticed about their health, their challenges and limitations, their behavior, their surroundings, or anything else that has made you worry about their health, their safety, and their well-being as they age in place. Being able to clearly explain to your parent why you think that they should have care can make it easier for them to understand this change and to feel less like you are just trying to take over their life or take their independence.
Focus on the benefits that care can give to your parents, including emphasizing that having this type of care in their life can give them greater independence and autonomy. Clearly address each of your concerns by connecting them to a benefit, such as explaining to your parents that you are worried that they are falling more often and you know that having a care provider with them will give them mobility assistance that will allow them to move around the home and be more active while staying safer.
Be willing to listen to your parent and encourage them to express their thoughts and emotions to you. Show respect and listen to what they have to say, and be ready to respond confidently and effectively. If they are getting upset or you feel that the conversation is not progressing, consider bringing the conversation to a close and bringing it up again later.
Emphasize that starting this type of care for your parent is not your way of not caring for them, and remind them that you will still be at the center of their care routine. Reassure them that you will still be caring for them and seeing them frequently, and that you will be overseeing and managing the services that the care provider offers to ensure that they are what your parent needs and prefers.
If your parent is facing challenges or needs that you do not feel that you can fulfill effective, or you simply feel that your aging loved one would benefit from additional support and care, homecare may be the ideal solution. Starting homecare for your aging parent is a fantastic way to encourage your parent to live a lifestyle that is as fulfilling, active, and engaged, while also supporting their health, safety, and well-being throughout their later years.
These personalized services can include safe and reliable transportation, helping your parent run errands, assistance with personal care tasks such as bathing or toileting, mobility assistance for those with balance or other mobility problems, meal preparation, housekeeping, and companionship.