Coping with a Senior Loved One Who is Refusing Help by Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living in Phoenix, AZ

There may come a time when your elderly parent or loved one needs more assistance in their day-to-day life.  In some cases, problems arise when the senior does not agree or want to cooperate with the care decisions being made for them.  This can prove to be a difficult time for both the senior and their families. 

There are a few things that families can do to help facilitate moving forward.  The first thing is to try and understand why a parent is resisting help.  There may be a sense of loss which could come from several different sources.  Loss of independence is a large concern but there may also be other feelings.  To a woman, is could be the loss of their identity as the homemaker and their role of mother and wife.  For men, it might signal a feeling of the loss of their role of the breadwinner and provider for the family.  It could be the loss of their youth and perhaps their health.

Some tips to help you and your loved one when faced with lifestyle changes:

·         The most important thing is to be patient

·         Include your senior in as much of the decision making as possible

·         Look for senior home care agencies that can help you understand your role as caregiver to your elderly parent or family member

·         Do not wait until a crisis to have the discussion of different care options

·         Understand that sometimes you just have to back off a while; sometimes things have to get worse to get better

Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living Phoenix Arizona is an assisted living and respite stay community.  One of our goals is to offer resources to our residents and their families.  Normal aging and chronic health problems can prevent your loved one from noticing that they are cold.  Please check out this post on preventinghypothermia in seniors.