Ways to Talk to Your Parents About Getting Homecare Services!

It can be difficult to watch our parents age. They raised us and turned us into the people that we are today and to see them struggling with daily, basic activities can be a hard pill to swallow. It is an unfortunate reality that we all must face: the process of aging. And it even happens to our parents. When we begin to notice signs of cognitive or physical decline, it can be easy to reason those signs away or even ignore them. Imagining having a conversation with your own parents about their ability to care for themselves is difficult, let alone doing it.

However, as the population of USA continues to age, more and more of us are reaching a point where our parents are starting to need help. It is hard to initiate this conversation with our parents, as they have raised us, and it is an uncomfortable switch in roles, but there are certain things that you can keep in mind when talking about getting some homecare help for your parents, that might make the conversation a little bit easier. Just remember that as hard as it is for you to have the conversation with your parents, it is probably even harder for them to accept that they need help from their own child. Try to be patient and always remain compassionate while discussing this subject with your parents.

• Start the conversation early. It is a hard conversation to have, but you want to talk to your parents about their wants, needs and desires before it gets to be too late. It is better to have this conversation while your parents are still able to maintain much of their own independence. It will allow you time to approach the subject and also give your parents time to think about the varied needs and concerns they may have with any homecare arrangements.
• Ask questions and listen. This is hard for your parents, probably harder than most of us can imagine, so it is important not to treat them as though they are children. Your parents have concerns and you need to make sure that they get the best possible care they can. Ask questions about the concerns they might have for their future or any potential homecare situations and actually listen to what they have to say. Take this in to consideration when contemplating homecare services.
• Show your parents that you want them to remain independent. As we age, maintaining our independence becomes incredibly important to us. Your parents have been able to do as they wish for many years now and it is hard for them to let go. Homecare is one of the best choices to provide your parents the care they need, while allowing them to remain independent.
• Be compassionate. It is hard when there are so many decisions that need to be made not to get frustrated and want to make all of the decisions yourself. Be compassionate and try to empathize with what your parents are going through. This will help you understand their resistance to any ideas you may have. Remember, they are used to making decisions and caring for themselves, this is a new territory for your parents.
• Get professional assistance. You might now know where to begin when it comes to talking to your parents about homecare services. Contacting a professional can give you a better idea of what to expect and the options that are available to you and your parents.

At Preferred Homecare services, we understand how difficult it is for children to watch their parents age. Whether you just need a bit of guidance or unable to provide homecare for your parents yourself, contact us today to set up a free in-home consultation. This will allow us to take into account the needs of your parents, as well as figure out the best way to provide high quality care that allows your parents to remain in their home, living as independently as possible.