The First Conversation and More
Choosing whether to go to in-home care is arguably the last major decision every person will make as they get to the age where it becomes a very real option. It is a fearful proposition, and there are many completely fair reasons why older people are hesitant to go to an in-home facility. Adult children owe it to their family to do what they can to bring a parent to an in-home facility when the time comes. But, they must meet them in their playing field. They must empathize, understand, and progress slowly on the topic that is always a bit daunting.
Bringing Up the Topic of In-Home Care
The topic of taking a loved parent to an in-home facility is not an easy one. Any adult child with a little empathy can firmly grasp the fear and expectations such a decision may provide. Empathy is perhaps the biggest element of all. The elderly are not always treated fair by society, and that has contributed to disconnect. Older people often feel that a child has little understanding of how they feel and what is going through their mind. It is easy for a son or daughter to just say they should go to a home without delicately empathizing with why they are reserved about the decision.
There is another layer to the initial conversation. Older people also feel they have survived a lot worse. They have a pride in taking care of themselves, and that is extremely powerful and enlightening. That can be a dynamic force for why they may be so resilient to the idea. That sense of pride can isolate them, and cause them to have an inferior way of life.
The first problem of a lack of empathy can be challenged with serious patience and many open-ended questions. An adult child should never show that they are frustrated. Many parents may even hold back and become closed off if they know their child simply wants them in a senior home care facility. Open-ended questions will open up their own barriers while displaying a sense of empathy and caring. Questions could include:
- Do you want someone to wash and clean up at the house?
- Are you concerned about money being tight?
- Do you feel too disconnected from the family being here?
None of these questions are senseless vague, but they do probe around a few key issues. The adult is trying to get them to understand that they have current problems that can be solved. Furthermore, they are also showing empathy to their fear. Older people have fears including who is going to pay for it, will they live with strangers, how will their health be managed, who is going to visit and when, etc. These fears are legitimate, and the above questions focus on showing that these fears are understood. When opening up the initial conversations never deny or say no. The concerns are always legitimate, even if a son or daughter disagrees.
3 Major Advantages for Part-Time Care
Agreeing to in home care will take some time. Some elderly people like less information. They may feel overwhelmed. Others only respond to the raw facts, and they want to know their options. The information does not need to be unloaded at once, and slow sprinkling of information could help a loved one ease into the possibility. The below advantages to Comfort Keepers should be used as tools to ultimately persuade a loved one.
- Part-time help, cleaning and washing that is non-invasive.
- Custom schedules for assistance. It helps mimic certain standards he or she has had at home.
- Events and a small tightly knit community for socializing and interacting.
Importantly, these advantages should not be unleashed early. The topic of conversation comes first. Once a loved one is aware and slightly open to it, the advantages can be heard with more clarity.
Comfort and Understanding
We have a knowing awareness that many older people want their privacy. They want to feel that they are respected, and that they do not exist on the fringes of society. The professionals at Comfort Keepers offer an assortment of comforts, and they are not invasive. Help is often part-time. The elderly can feel forgotten. Professional in-home caregivers do everything to value their guests, and make them feel engaged and respected.
Comfort Keepers
23900 Lyons Avenue
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
661-287-4200
