As our parents age, we are often faced with the reality that they are no longer able to safely care for themselves. This may be due to a physical imparity or a cognitive deficit. Unfortunately, many times our parents do not recognize their own deficits and believe they can care for themselves without assistance.
So what do you do when Mom or Dad needs help and they are resistant to the idea? What if they flat out refuse any help? These situations can be difficult for everyone involved. One option is to introduce a Geriatric Care Manager into the mix. The Care Manager can look at the situation objectively, without the emotion and history of a family member and make recommendations that are in the best interest of the client. They can also make recommendations for a specific strategy of introducing caregiving services, if that is determined to be necessary.
Once the decision has been made to introduce caregivers into the home, it should be done gradually. Four hours a day, 3-4 days a week is often a good place to start. Once your parents adjust to this situation, the number of hours and the number of days per week can be increased gradually until you have the caregiver in place as much as you need. Be patient. It can be hard for your parents to adjust to a new person their home, especially if they don’t believe they need any assistance in the first place.
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