How to Help a Parent That Refuses Home Care

Home care can help your aging loved one with daily tasks such as light housekeeping, companionship, medication reminders or meal preparation. It may seem like the natural next step for your loved one, but what if they are refusing care? It can be difficult to convince your loved one that home care is the right step and will allow them to age comfortably at home rather than in a nursing home. Here are some tips that we put together to help you have that tough conversation with your loved one.

• Start bringing up the conversation when you notice they are slowing down. It is advisable to ease into the idea of having an in-home caregiver. It can be overwhelming for your loved one to go from not having any help to suddenly welcoming someone into their home to help them immensely through out the day. As soon as you feel that they need extra assistance, offer to hire someone to clean the home, a friend to come and check in on them or using a ride sharing service to help them with their errands. This will hopefully reduce their feelings of losing their freedom suddenly.
• Ask them why they feel that they do not need this assistance and show them why you believe they do. Often times, people will have this conversation and if their aging loved one says no, they leave it at that. By digging a little deeper into the reasons behind them declining help, you can get to the bottom of their insecurities or fears. Do your best to understand their concerns and to reassure them that although they may feel that they are losing freedom or are better off without it, they will have many benefits from bringing in a caregiver. Offer them situations and examples so they can realize that real life circumstances can require extra care and comfort that a caregiver can provide.
• Bring a support system to help you when times get tough and conversations get heated. By bringing people with you that are on your side, you can show your loved one that they are loved, they have a support system and they have people that are looking out for their best interest. Be careful to not gang up on your loved one, using accusatory language may irritate them. Simply let them know that all of you gathered together that day to show your support for them and want the best for them.
• Schedule a free consultation with 24 Hour Home Care, where your loved one can hear more about what a caregiver can bring to the table for them. Sometimes, people need to hear the same facts from a third-party individual that is not a part of their family. A 24 Hour Home Care representative will meet you and your loved one, free of charge, at their home to go over their treatment plan. This is a time for your loved one to ask their questions, get an idea of how they will benefit from home care and for you to show your loved one you support them.

We know that this conversation can be uncomfortable, emotional and hard. With these tips, we hope that you and your loved one can have a productive and positive conversation that will result in the right plan for them.