How to tell your loved on they need professional help

Initiating such a sensitive conversation with your elderly relative can be extremely difficult. Many people do not wish to accept the idea that they cannot live independently anymore and that they need day to day assistance. You obviously need to work and take care of your own family, so how will you make your elderly loved one accept that a stranger will arrive to their home very day and offer help? Indeed very complicated, yet possible. Check out a few important tips below.

Start with the most obvious problem- the best thing you can do: don’t beat around the bush. If you have noticed that your elderly loved one struggles even with walking alone, taking care of everyday routine tasks or even has problems with preparing the meals, then talk openly about this problem. Your loved one knows already these are problems he/she struggles with, but it is difficult to accept the idea. Tell your loved one you are here on his side and want the best possible. This is why you believe outside help can be the best solution at this point.

Talk about the different options available – your elderly loved one has the right to choose what he/she wants most. After making a thorough research, you can now tell your relative about the different options that can be considered. For example, your relative might not want to hear at all about going to a nursing home, but might become quite flexible if you suggest a caretaker. This caretaker will visit the home every day and assist with tasks needed. Your relative gets to continue living in the familiar environment, and thus he/she may be willing to accept much easier this idea of in-home care services.

Don’t be pushy and give time. You should not hurry such an important decision. You also need to give plenty of time to your relative to accept the thought that he/she indeed needs assistance. Treat your loved one with respect, dignity and compassion when it comes to such an important decision. Ultimately, we will all get old and walk in the same exact shoe at one point in life. Let your loved one decide what’s best for him/her and offer all the good advice that you can. In most of the cases, the elderly are more open to the idea of home care services than moving to a nursing home, far away from home and family.