Communication is a huge part of caregiving, especially when family caregivers are trying to do their best for the seniors they love. But it isn’t always easy to be on either side of that equation. Sometimes seniors might even actively avoid listening to advice, particularly if they’re trying to meet their own goals, like aging in place and remaining independent. Home care can be an excellent option for families who are trying to offer the right help.
Try Acceptance
The first step in working through these types of challenges with seniors is to accept that seniors are seeing this situation from their own unique perspective. They see their lives and their challenges from a very different angle than family caregivers do. Accepting that their views and opinions are valid can go a long way toward helping seniors to be more open to advice at times.
Choose Battles Carefully
Some pieces of advice for seniors are more important than others, and it’s vital to start choosing which ones are most important to prioritize. Safety is always at the top of the list, of course, but other situations might be ones that families can leave by the wayside. Focusing on the truly essential issues saves everybody time and energy.
Pack Patience and Empathy
Patience and empathy can help family caregivers to choose those battles carefully. Aging is full of challenges and loss, especially when it comes to things like physical limitations and cognitive changes. Acknowledging those changes and issues with empathy and patience can allow seniors the time they need to come around on some of the advice that family caregivers want them to follow.
Build a Support System
A support system is essential for everyone involved in the caregiving journey. Family caregivers need to know that they have support when they need it, especially for respite time, and seniors need a support system, too. Sometimes that means that elder care providers offer a buffer between seniors and the family caregivers who are worried about them.
Remember They’re Adults
Something else that can help is for family caregivers to actively remember that no matter what else is happening, seniors are adults. They deserve to have their own autonomy and to make decisions about their lives. Approaching caregiving decisions with respect and dignity can go a long way toward helping seniors to feel more in control of their lives and experiences.
Look for Ways to Offer Help
Often seniors may not want to be told what to do, but they’re open to having help. Home care services can offer the help that they need in a way that doesn’t feel as if seniors are being told what to do. Unobtrusively offering support can help seniors feel more empowered.
Seniors may not be open to advice, but that doesn’t mean that they’re unwilling to accept help when they need it. Offering the right types of assistance, particularly through home care services, can help everyone involved to feel less stressed about the challenges seniors are facing.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Stockton, CA, please contact the caring staff at Provident Care Home Care today at (209) 578-1210.
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