Watching family members get older can be tough. Often, family members will resist care, even when life’s daily tasks become burdensome.
You may have heard them say, “I don’t need help!” or “I’m fine on my own!”
Admitting that you need help can be tough for anyone, but it is especially difficult for seniors. For some, it symbolizes a sense of inadequacy or a move to the last stages of life, while others may find it embarrassing to no longer be the provider they once were.
A transition to proper assistance and care can greatly improve the quality of life for your loved one, and no matter the reason for the change, it is important to know the signs of when it is the right time.
What Struggles Come as We Age?
Even for a relatively healthy senior, a host of issues can arise that simply make life more difficult.
For example, joint issues and balance problems can make mobility difficult and often painful, especially with tasks that require fine motor skills. Besides these already well-recognized issues, seniors face a continually complex list that requires attention.
- Chronic diseases like diabetes or arthritis can bring constant pain into one’s life and require a great deal of diligence to stay on top of.
- Cognitive issues are ever-increasing as people age and the ability to process information naturally slows down over time. Beyond that, diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia bring a new, more difficult variable into the equation.
- Ageism is becoming more common, with seniors facing different, often harsher treatment from those in their community.
- Depression, anxiety, and loneliness also begin to show themselves in senior communities. Perhaps a lot of people their age have moved on, or the reality of old age isn’t the ideal that had been hoped for.
Any combination of these issues is sure to bring a wave of emotional distress to anyone. Understandably, it can be alarming, scary, and even embarrassing when a care provider first brings up the idea of a caregiver or placement in a facility
Taking the First Steps
To help address the fears of starting this journey, it is important to understand the thoughts that may come up when a senior is first approached about this option.
For example, the addition of an In-Home Caregiver can bring fears of a loss of privacy or exposure. Maybe they feel like they will lose the right to even do the simple things they can still do.
Larger decisions, like placement in an adult living facility, can cause even more distress. There’s the initial fear of a strange new place, the loss of control, and the exposure of their weaknesses. Even worse, a lot of seniors will feel as if they’re being sent there to die.
Of course, not every senior will feel this way, but it is important to begin to get some insight into how they feel when this comes up. To help make sure this goes as smoothly as possible, it is best to bring up this subject naturally and at a time when the situation is relaxed.
Tips for Tackling Long-Term Care
Approaching this conversation can be difficult. Here are a few tips to help keep in mind as you do:
- Focus on the positive. The goal is to prolong life and happiness as long as possible. It doesn’t have to be a loss of independence as much as it is about freedom from worry.
- Help them achieve their goals. If it is feasible for family members to help in this process, then it might be a great opportunity to save money and spend quality time with your loved ones. If not, it is easy to have a local caregiver that can help keep your elders nearby.
- Start small. Maybe a full-time caregiver isn’t the right answer right now. Perhaps only assistance at the grocery store or around the house is needed to start. Treating caregiving as evolving tiers of service is a great way to get started.
- Don’t make it a problem. Remember, if your loved one is highly resistant to this change, it is likely because they don’t see a problem with how they are living. Try focusing on safety or the convenience of in-home care.
- Hire a professional or ask for help. When it is difficult to make decisions about this adjustment, it could be a good idea to hire a care manager to do an assessment of your elder’s needs. Additionally, you can help the conversation occur by having close friends and family bring up the topic on other occasions.
Start this Journey with Westchester Family Care
Tackling a tough conversation like is never easy, but at Westchester Family Care, we make it our business to provide answers and quality in-home care solutions.
Contact us now to see how we can help you get started on providing long-term care for your loved ones.
