Five Ways to Explain the Need for Outside Help to Your Senior

When you first bring up the idea of having outside help for your elderly family member, she might not get why that’s important. Having an open and honest conversation with her can help a lot. 

Reassure Her You’re Not Going Anywhere

Caregiver Salisbury, NC: Needing Outside Help

One big fear that many aging adults have about bringing in home care is that you might not be her family caregiver any longer. That’s not what outside help is about, but this can still be a big concern for your elderly family member. Reassure her that you’re not going anywhere, you just both need some extra help. 

Talk about Safety Concerns 

You may want to talk to your senior a bit about why you’re concerned for her safety. If she has mobility issues, a caregiver can help her with them. A caregiver can also be on the alert for any issues that could contribute to making your senior less safe in her own home, which means those problems can get solved faster. 

Mention You Wish You Could Be There More 

All too often family caregivers aren’t able to be there with their aging family members as often as they would like. This leads to stress and to greater frustration, especially as their family member needs more help. Talk to your senior about how that feels for you and how that affects your ability to concentrate on all of the various things you need to do. 

Be Open with Her about Your Own Stress 

But there’s more to it, too. Worrying about your senior brings a great deal of stress and knowing that there’s a caregiver there with her can alleviate a lot of that stress for you. Your aging family member has likely worried about people that she loves, so she is even more likely to understand how these feelings impact you. Relating your experiences to ones she’s had in the past can help. 

Always Keep Your Explanations Positive 

You might accidentally share fears and concerns that aren’t super positive. Whenever you can, though, try to keep your explanations as positive as possible. You want your elderly family member to have an overall happy impression of what home care services can do for you and for her. 

Impress upon your elderly family member that you and she are a team. A caregiver is there to help you both to be a stronger team, not to divide you or to create problems.  

If you or an aging loved one are considering a Caregiver in Salisbury, NC, contact the caring professionals at TenderHearted Home Care today. Call us at (704) 612-4132