Did you know that home healthcare can significantly help your elderly loved ones reduce their anxiety and stress? This is just one of the reasons why you should hire home healthcare for them. There’s no denying that it makes their lives easier, but convincing them may not be so easy. Most seniors don’t like the idea of having a stranger under their roof, helping them, which is a natural human reaction. And if your senior loved one agrees to have home healthcare on the first try, consider yourself lucky. So, how do you begin the discussion? Here’s how.
Start Slowly and Early
The best time to bring up the home healthcare topic with your loved one is when their health starts showing a gradual decline, i.e. when you notice small changes in their daily living abilities. Look for signs like heavy breathing after menial home chores, difficulty to sit on a chair for too long, and fatigue. This is the time to bring up home healthcare and introduce them to the idea of it. Similarly, you can start a healthcare discussion at the onset of a new season as each requires different care methods. For instance, you can ask older people not to carry out heavy physical activities as part of home healthcare during winter, as the muscles can get sore easily. The pain can remain for a long time if any injuries occur.
It would be best if you did not wait until care needs to reach a crisis stage, where it will be a drastic lifestyle shock for them, which is not good. Also, begin slowly. Start with an off-handed remark about home healthcare, and then start small talk about it. More often than not, your loved one will be dismissive of it initially, so the idea is to introduce them to it first.
Timing is of massive importance here. Do not begin the conversation when you are preparing the table for dinner or giving them medicines. Find the least stressful time when they are in a relaxed state of mind, and take it from there.
Show Them the Benefits
Even after they are acquainted with the idea of home healthcare, they may still be dismissive of it. That is, again, a natural human reaction. After all, people do not like change or to depend on others for their daily lives. But, once they realize the benefits of home healthcare, they may warm up to it even more. Here are some benefits you can tell them about:
- It lets them be in the home’s familiar setting, instead of a hospital-like environment of assisted living programs.
- Home healthcare workers help them with daily chores like medication management, meal preparation, housework, dressing, feeding, etc., making their lives easier.
- It keeps them socially isolated while getting the right help, given the COVID-19 situation where social distancing is essential for seniors.
- Home healthcare workers regularly monitor their health, look for any signs of stress or illnesses, and take the right measures to avoid them.
- Home healthcare that includes exercise helps them stay active and relaxed while preventing anxiety and stress.
Keep Trying
Chances are, the first time you discuss home healthcare, they are not going to agree to it. If that happens to you, don’t worry. You’ve begun early, which gives you enough time to make them see the benefits of it. Keep the topic aside for a couple of months and then try again. Sometimes, you may need to try thrice before they agree to it. Just don’t be overbearing with it, as it can annoy them and make them hate the idea of home healthcare entirely, which is counterproductive.
Respect Their Decision
If you have tried many times and they don’t want it, you should respect their decision. Maybe your elderly loved one doesn’t want it at all. They might not want it for several reasons. Perhaps it takes away their independence, they don’t like being around others, or they are fit enough not to need it. Whatever the reason, let them make the final decision—as long as their safety and health aren’t compromised.
Put Safety First
Whatever your loved one decides, you must respect that. If you see that they do need home healthcare because their health has started to deteriorate, you should consult their doctor and see what the doctor suggests. Their health and safety is of utmost importance and must not be compromised at all. Home healthcare can really make a difference in your loved one’s life. Sure, they may not agree to it right away, but once they do, they will be thankful to you for having that option for their life instead of other assisted living programs.