Looking after elderly parents who are resistant to your help or the assistance of professional care services can be challenging. Our team of Care Managers at Bright Care are experienced in this and are happy to share their knowledge and expertise. Please get in touch if you need advice on how to help elderly loved ones.
Change can often be difficult for everyone involved so here are our top tips to help you when elderly parents resist help:
- Be understanding – ageing and finding you need to rely on others can be daunting and upsetting, so try to be understanding and kind when raising this topic.
- Start early – ask open questions before the need for elder care arises, as this will give you time to discuss the available options before they are required.
- Give options – openly discuss the possible care options with your loved one/s and find out how they would like to receive care.
- Create a list – write down anything that is causing any issues for them and prioritise these concerns together.
- Seek expert advice – our expert team is on hand to give you free and impartial advice on how to help your loved ones accept that they need care.
As you have this discussion around care options, you may find the dynamic between you and your elderly loved one’s changes. It is possible that their negative behaviour may put a strain on your relationship. To help and ease the situation, you could try a few of the following techniques:
- Put yourself in their shoes – try to imagine what it is like to find your health deteriorating and losing your independence. Perhaps your loved one is feeling unmotivated, bored, lonely or dispirited.
- Talk to them openly – make an effort to understand why they are feeling negative about accepting care, and together you can make a plan to resolve any fears or worries they might have.
- Do some fun activities together– plan an outing together, perhaps to a café, a country house for a walk or visit family. If your loved one is less mobile, you could stay in and help them with their favourite hobby or invite their friends over.
- Enlist the help of a professional – negative behaviour in an elderly relative can be a sign that they need more help around the home from an experienced Care Assistant. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help your loved one.
How do I know when my parents need care?
There is no set age an elderly person needs care; everyone’s care journey is different. As a guide, in 2022 the average age of a person in receipt of support in the UK was 84 years old.
You should consider seeking care for your loved one if it has become unsafe for them to live alone, if there are signs of confusion or disorientation, if they need support because of a medical condition, or there are other risks to their personal safety.
To find out more, read our advice on how to spot signs of decline in a loved one.
Why choose Bright Care?
Bright Care can support you with looking after elderly parents. We offer tailored in-home care services for the elderly. Our services include care and companionship, providing peace of mind for families who cannot always be there to care for their loved ones.
If you believe your elderly loved one needs help, we can offer support with:
- Consistent companionship (reading the newspaper, playing games, taking exercise)
- Support with outings (grocery food shopping, hospital appointments, walks)
- Help around the house (laundry, vacuuming, dusting)
- Home-based activities (cooking, baking, gardening)
- Support at social events (family gatherings, clubs, religious services)
- Personal hygiene (assistance with washing and getting dressed)
- Health and well-being (support with medications and exercise)
- Personal administration (help with forms, letters, paying bills)
Get in touch
If you would like to know more about the companionship care we offer to help you with looking after elderly parents, please get in touch.
If you would like to join our team of exceptional Carers who provide tailored in-home elderly care services, please get in touch.
