Imagine a stranger coming into your home, opening your refrigerator, doing your laundry, going through your medication, or even helping you change your clothes. Is it any wonder that people are resistant to home care?
Based on our experience, we estimate that over 80% of home care clients start out against the idea. The Silent Generation and Baby Boomers are strong and independent. They’ve always known what they want and they know how to get it.
The idea of home care could make Mom or Dad feel like they’re losing the freedom to make decisions, or that accepting help shows weakness or decline. They could have anxiety about the unknown or the costs of home care. Maybe they’re just modest and private. Resistance often stems from these emotions.
At Encore Life Care, we often recommend strategies for overcoming an aging parent’s resistance to home care that come from a place of compassion and understanding.
Validate Your Loved One’s Concerns
Talk to them about home care. Find out what they think it means. Listen to them. Their fear and apprehension are very real, so don’t dismiss them. Empathize with them. If their perceptions of home care don’t match reality, you’ll be in a better place to have a conversation that addresses those misconceptions.
Start Slow
At Encore Life Care, we always say, “A little bit of help now prevents a lot of help later.” Having support in small doses will allow aging parents to maintain their independence much longer.
Start slow with home care – just a few visits per week or shorter visits – to establish trust and allow a relationship to build naturally. Plan for your caregiver to get a few early “wins” in the eyes of Mom or Dad, like making a nice breakfast, tidying up the house, and washing and changing the sheets.
Bring in a Trusted Confident
Ask a doctor, nurse, social worker, or church member your loved one knows and trusts to casually bring up home care. They’re more likely to listen to people who care about them and want what’s best for them.
Share a Home Care Success Story
Is a friend of Mom or Dad having a good experience with home care? Tell them about it! Share specifics about what the caregiver does and how home care makes their life better.
Involve Your Loved One in the Decision-Making Process
Your loved one wants to be heard and should have a say in their future. Set up a meeting with a provider, plan the schedule, create a list of tasks, and make sure everyone is respectful and on the same page.
These strategies can help you start a productive conversation and address the reasons behind your loved one’s resistance to home care. Contact us today if you need more ideas or would like to schedule an appointment.
