Your mother and father have been married for over 60 years. They met shortly after he returned home from World War II, fell in love, and were quickly married. For the most part, they had a wonderful marriage, but they certainly had challenges along the way. Your mother recently suffered from a stroke and while she was hospitalized, you had a serious conversation with your father about home care services. One of the major problems, though, was that he immediately became agitated and was adamant about not wanting any type of help.
Considering he was in his 80s and had his own physical challenges, you knew that taking care of your mother wasn’t a good situation for him. Still, he wouldn’t listen and the more you pushed, the angrier he became. It eventually led to some high tension arguments.
Now your mother is about to be discharged from the nursing home and sent home, and you realize how imperative it is that you reach some kind of agreement with him regarding home care services. After all, you can see the problem that will develop – he will be trying to take on the responsibilities of caring for her, and he’s going to injure himself or put his health at an even greater risk.
It doesn’t have to be a contentious conversation. There could be any number of reasons why your father feels so strongly against hiring home care services. June is Effective Communications Month and while it may seem that your father is stubborn and headstrong, you may simply need to find a better way to broach the topic, such as focusing on the benefits they can offer.
Relying on professional home care services, especially when you hire through an agency, could help him and your mother get all of the care they need without having to worry. She will likely require a visiting nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, and a number of home care aides to assist her in and out of the shower, out of bed, and more.
When you focus on the benefits that they offer – such as safety, companionship, meal preparation, and medication reminders, just to name a few – it will more than likely open the door to a calm, rational conversation that is effective for both of you.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care services in Durham, NC or the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at HomeChoice Home Care Solutions. Call today (919) 847-5622