Sometimes, although it may be clear to you and your family or your senior’s caregivers that they need help, they just don’t want to accept it.
Seniors with complex health conditions, cognitive impairments, or mobility issues may start to need help with what used to be simple daily tasks such as getting dressed, bathing, preparing meals, and keeping up with housework.
Realizing that they are losing certain aspects of their independence can be very difficult for some seniors needing elderly care, as they come to terms with the fact that they may no longer be able to do the things that once came so easily to them. There are also modesty aspects, when things that were able to be done in private their entire lives now require another person’s help, like using the bathroom and keeping their bodies clean and groomed.
Seniors may show their frustration with anger, resentment, or stubbornness, or by a refusal to comply with the requests of their family members, but there are ways that you can help ease them into allowing someone to care for them.
Hire professionals. If you haven’t done so already, hiring a professional home health company to take over some or all of the duties of your senior’s elderly care can be a huge relief to families struggling with someone who refuses to comply or accept help. Sometimes, just having someone that is not related to help them with their personal care routine helps tremendously in these situations.
Give them a choice. If loss of control is an issue your loved one is struggling with, consider giving them a choice so that they feel like they have some say in their daily routines and over their life. If daily exercise is something they need to do, let them choose the activity from a list of ideas, or let them choose the time of day that they prefer.
Put yourself in their shoes. The stress involved when your parent doesn’t seem to understand the magnitude of the care that they require can be overwhelming, and it is important to protect your own health and well-being so that you can continue to support your senior as well. Sometimes it helps to put yourself in their position, imagining that the things that you do every day without thinking are no longer physically or mentally possible, and how vulnerable that must feel to be in that situation. Taking a deep breath, pausing to consider how your senior feel emotionally, and taking a time out if needed can go a long way in working together to accomplish your elderly care goals as a team.
Compromise. There may be times when a compromise can be made that will allow your senior to be happier with the outcome, and also accept the help that they need. For example, if bathing and personal grooming has become a sticking point, find a time of day or a number of days per week that they are required to tend to their routine, allowing them to have days “off” so that they know when and what to expect with regards to a task that they don’t like. Think about other areas and ways that a compromise can be made to make your lives mutually beneficial.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Oakland, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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