One of the biggest challenges of being a family caregiver is convincing your parents to accept help in their home. Having a parent who rejects any type of assistance can be very frustrating, especially when there’s proof of how much they are struggling. And if they are struggling, that means you are struggling as well. Eventually, there will be a breaking point where there is no choice but to convince them to accept help.
Before the conversation: get prepared
Preparing to talk with your parents about changes to their lifestyle is an important step in this journey. It makes the conversation smoother when you’ve had time to think ahead about how to respond to questions your parents are likely to bring up. Sometimes, having a doctor recommend caregiving assistance can be enough influence to encourage your parents to listen and be more open to the idea. Keep in mind that the main goal for having the initial conversation is to introduce the idea of getting help. Most people need time to process their thoughts and feelings, so it helps to set the expectation that decisions don’t need to be made right away.
During the conversation: listen and focus on benefits
When you have conversations about getting help, try and put yourself in your parents’ shoes. Listen to their worries and fears and consider their self-image and emotions. Work on changing their perspective on getting caregiving help at home by pointing out the benefits. Talk about how getting help with basic daily tasks can give them more time and energy to spend with family and friends or on hobbies and personal interests. Also, focus on the fact that accepting assistance at home actually helps them keep their independence.
After the conversation: be patient and positive
In an ideal world, your parents would accept help at home with no resistance or arguments. A change this significant is not going to happen overnight. While your parents take time to accept the necessity of these changes, it is important to remain patient and stay positive. Understanding their concerns helps you find solutions that will appeal to them. Do your best to avoid arguments that could lead to more resistance .
Original article taken from DailyCaring.com
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