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Talking to your aging parents about accepting in-home care can be one of the toughest conversations you will ever have. If you’ve started to worry about your loved one living alone at home, it might be time to broach the subject of enlisting in-home senior care services.
How will they react? What happens if they refuse to consider the idea?
Avoiding the conversation can make things worse in the long-run, so follow these four tips for advice on how to talk to your parents about home care services.
Experts recommend starting the conversation earlier rather than later, so that your parents can have a say in the decision. Easing into home care services rather than making an abrupt change in lifestyle will be less traumatic for everyone involved.
When you start these conversations, approach your loved ones with compassion. Put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine how you would feel. Would you feel threatened? Would you feel angry? Would you try to avoid the topic? Your loved one may experience all of these emotions, so be empathetic.
Make sure you approach home care services as a benefit rather than a problem that needs fixing. You can do this by focusing your conversation on the positives!
In-home help can grant your parents the chance to “age in place” by staying in their home. They likely have a lot of pride in their home and in their daily routines. Accepting in-home help allows them the dignity to live at home for as long as possible, with more control over their schedules, the ability to see the people they care about, and the chance to continue their hobbies.
Don’t be surprised if you encounter reluctance or opposition. Making the chance from independence to dependence is difficult, so take the time to listen to your parents’ objections and fears.
One of the best ways to do this is to ask a lot of questions. Instead of forcing the decision, ask your parents for their thoughts and how they feel about having someone around the house to provide help.
If your parents are not yet open to the idea, or if they seem unsure, you may want to share some resources, so they can learn how senior home care works. Best Care provides a wealth of resources on our website, to help you and your parents feel informed.
Bring other loved ones into the conversation - your siblings, your children, close friends of your parents, their doctors - so that your parents feel supported on all sides. You aren’t enlisting this extra support to “convince” your parents; you’re asking for more people who care about your parents to weigh in on what’s best for them.
You can also share how home care services for them are also a benefit for you. Your parents love you and do not want to be a burden. They don’t want you to be constantly worried about them. The entire family will have greater peace of mind knowing that they are safe and healthy.
Helping your parents see that home care services will benefit the entire family can help them become more open to the idea.
Conversations with your parents about accepting home care help are not easy, but it’s possible that with your love, patience, and positivity, they will make the transition with ease. Best Care is here to support you and your loved ones along this journey.
