After decades of independence and taking care of things on their own, it can be difficult for seniors to accept help. Some will protest caregiving services, while others will flat out refuse.
Not only is this stressful for seniors, but it’s also straining for younger family members as well. When you feel like you’re forcing your aging parent to go to assisted living or a nursing home, it can lead to feelings of guilt—even if there are valid concerns about your parent’s safety.
A Different Approach: Wade Instead of Dive
One way to ease this stress is to take a wading approach instead of a diving approach.
The idea is that rather than diving headfirst into assisted living or a nursing home when your aging parent’s needs are great, you can help them gently wade into accepting help a little bit at a time. This way, when it’s time for a higher level of care, it’s a natural next step and not a drastic change.
The biggest caveat to this strategy is that wading takes longer than diving. This means efforts need to start well before long-term care is urgently needed. You might begin suggesting some of the below services as milestone birthdays hit or as you notice that needs are beginning to surface.
Related: How to Talk to Your Aging Parent About Long-Term Care
5 Services to Ease a Senior Into Accepting Help
- Cleaning: Whether it’s weekly light housekeeping or monthly deep cleans, hiring a cleaning service for your aging parent is simple but helpful. This can help your aging parent avoid injuries and ensure proper household upkeep. Plus, a regular housekeeper will get to know your parent and be another indicator of their well-being.
- Lawn Care: From mowing to weeding to trimming trees, not only is lawn care hard work, but it can also be dangerous. A lawn care service can keep things tidy around the house and provide safety and convenience for your aging parent.
- Snow and Ice Removal: Did you know that shoveling snow creates an increased risk of heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest in many people? Not to mention, slippery conditions can leave your parent at risk of falls. Leave it to the professionals and line up snow and ice removal for your parent.
- Grocery Delivery: Your aging parent may be perfectly capable of going shopping, but grocery delivery is readily available in most areas and is very convenient for big shopping trips or when the weather is less than ideal.
- Meal Prep Service: Find a meal prep service in your area that can deliver chef-prepared foods made with quality ingredients. Many of these services allow you to choose from a selection of entrees, sides, soups, and desserts and customize portion size. Once the meals are delivered, all your parent will need to do is warm them up and enjoy.
Related: Preserving Wealth and Dignity: Long-Term Care Planning for Seniors
Start Small and Build
By starting with these minimal, non-intrusive services and gradually increasing assistance as needs arise, you can help ease your parent into a more structured support system over time. This will not only reduce resistance to long-term care, but also help your parent maintain their independence and dignity.
Want more? Check out our blog, 7 Ways to Help an Aging Parent Navigate Medicare Enrollment.
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