Home-based care for seniors: How to talk to your parents
The senior mother of the family usually holds back home care services. Too long has she been taking care of her family and herself without acknowledging that she needs help. Often, senior dads are reluctant to admit that they need some help around the house.
What is important is that your elderly parents can maintain their independence with the support of home-based care. Communicate early with any family members with concerns about using home care services.
If your parents need assistance at home, what are the warning signs?
Your parents may need more help around the house if they avoid some of the activities they used to love. You might need to suggest that they get some short-term senior home care or look for long-term services if they ask for more help more often.
Families are a natural source of support. Family members help each other when they need it. It may seem like you’ve been called upon more often, but family is the only last resort for elderly parents.
So how have you responded and accepted the help offered? Taking on care responsibilities may not even occur to you for a while. But you can arrange assistance to provide extra service to your aging parents.
That would be in your best interests. If you get help to care for your aging parents, you can maintain quality time with them rather than lose it.
Take a moment to consider the range of services seniors can access with home-based aged care – you may not have known that. Many people don’t yet realise they could receive help at home to remain independent in their own residence.
So do your parents need home care services on an ongoing basis, or is it simply a temporary issue? Getting a holistic health and lifestyle assessment is the best way to determine a senior’s eligibility for eldercare.
This assessment analyses all aspects of the senior’s health and lifestyle and recommends the services that best serve their needs.
Meeting the needs of your parents and yourself.
You can show your parents you care by being there for them. You can show your parents you care by being there for them. Just remember to take care of yourself as well.
You want the best for your aging parents, so when discussing home-based aged care with them, you will explain how you want them to receive the best care but that you may not always be in a position to provide it.
Homecare services should be arranged in advance so that no one feels stressed or reluctant to seek assistance for fear of being burdened.
Invoking external support helps senior parents and their adult children foresee their responsibilities and required support.
Utilising home care services: getting used to the idea
You can take a big step by contacting an external service. It can be uncomfortable for seniors to have ‘outsiders’ in their homes. However, after a few days, they get used to the support service.
Likewise, safe spaces are also important to your elderly parents, and you want them to feel comfortable and at ease in their homes.
Get them used to the idea of home-based care by showing them information about the services. Do not rush the process. Provide more information about the home-based care service with certain time intervals.
We connect with people through trust, and as we become familiar, confidence too shall begin to develop.
Stay connected and in control of your aging loved ones
Including your aging parents when making decisions is essential. You’ll have to discuss what services your parents need several times. As we age, we feel out of control, which is a significant concern, so frequent discussion is a must.
Our health needs can change rapidly, making it hard to stay on top of them. If our living situation is also changing, it can be stressful.
It would help if you keep your parents informed of what’s happening; keeping them informed is vital no matter what they say. They are not letting everything out of their hands immediately, for they take the entire process a frustrating and intervening ones.
When dealing with another nominated individual, the service provider needs the consent of the senior person. Our seniors’ views, needs, and preferences must be respected and valued in this situation.
Investments in-home health care is investments in the health of the patient.
The cost of care services might concern your parents, so they are reluctant to disclose their needs.
Seniors have the option of choosing as many services as they want at any given time. Getting help could mean getting someone to clean or take care of the gardening.
Don’t forget to check your eligibility for government funding through My Aged Care if you’re experiencing difficulty navigating the My Aged Care process from Advance Age Care.
Home care services don’t bind you to a contract for life. Give them a trial period before they commit.
Find out whether it’s right for them. A senior’s need gets changed as they age. Ideally, the senior should work with a case manager to monitor their needs and suggest what services are needed.
Many seniors worry that they will incur costs and inconvenience for their families. Ensure they are safe with the home care service and caregivers who are there to assist them throughout their aging journey.
If your elderly parents need help, you need to talk about it.
We wish to provide our elderly loved ones with the best in-home senior care for many reasons. The knowledge that everyone’s needs are being met will benefit their health and well-being.
Changing habits is a challenging process, and if they aren’t at immediate risk of becoming ill, don’t press them to do so.
Your senior parents may be willing to accept help in one or two areas so that they can experiment and see whether the arrangement improves their quality of life.
You can always revisit the topic later if they are still reluctant. Learning and discussing home-based aged care options together will make the concept more familiar.
Conducting holistic assessments and coordinating services with a senior doctor and other health professionals is part of what we do during the home visits.
Healthcare practitioners may find it helpful to have this conversation with the family, so please call us to schedule an appointment.
Elevate your loved one’s golden years – Discover our exceptional senior home care services today!
