Helping your senior is a good thing and it’s likely something that she needs, but that doesn’t mean that she’s happy about it. In fact, it can be downright impossible for your senior to accept your help, no matter how lovingly and freely you offer it to her.
She Believes What She’s Telling You
The simplest reason for your senior to avoid receiving help of any kind is because she honestly believes it when she tells you that she’s fine and she doesn’t need help. You may see things in a very different light. It’s not about convincing her that she’s not doing as well as she thinks, either. What you’ll need to do instead is to just be there to support her when she’s ready to accept your assistance.
She Doesn’t Believe You Can Help
You might also run into a situation where your senior realizes that she does need help, but she may worry that you’re not able to give her the help that she needs. There’s a lot that you can do, even if the help that she needs is far outside your wheelhouse. There are other people you can enlist, like home care providers, who do have the experience she needs in her corner.
She’s Embarrassed to Need Help
Still, another problem could be that your senior knows she needs help but finds that situation to be incredibly embarrassing. It’s not always easy to admit that you need help and your elderly family member may have always been an extremely competent person. Just because she needs help now, that doesn’t mean she’s incompetent and she may need to hear that from you.
She Sees This as a Loss
It’s also possible that your elderly family member views needing help as taking a big loss. She might be losing her independence or something else, but if she views help as a negative thing, it’s really going to be tough for her to get what she needs from what you’re offering. Those are feelings that she may have to work through on her own, no matter how much you want to fix the situation for her.
Your elderly family member might not always feel this way. As she comes to terms with her situation her perspective may change. Also, having loving offers of assistance from you on a regular basis can be a reassuring way to win her over.
The staff at Home Care Matters is available to talk with you and your family about all of your needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable Elderly Care in Buford, GA, and surrounding areas. Call (770) 965.4004 for more information.
Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”
Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”
You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).
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