The thought of a “stranger” coming into the home on a daily basis and assisting with activities of daily living may not always sit very well with your senior loved one. So now you find yourself in a situation where you don’t want to overstep your boundaries, but you still realize the importance of providing your loved one with much-needed help as soon as possible.
So how do you address the topic of in home care to your senior loved one? What do you need to say and do, so that they can agree to open their home to an unfamiliar caregiver? If you’re struggling to find the solution, we’ve compiled a few tips that may help your loved one adjust and welcome in-home care.
Emphasize the Pros!
If your loved one dislikes the idea of in-home help, it’s best to first have an honest discussion with them. The first step is to listen. Allow them to express how they feel about this “intrusion” into their home by a stranger. Then talk about your concern for their safety and comfort while helping them to maintain their independence. Just remember to always validate their concerns and feelings.
Take this opportunity to highlight the benefits of in-home care.
- Maintaining independence
- Assistance with tasks that have become difficult
- Light housekeeping and laundry
- Grocery shopping
- Personal Care
- Alternative to a long-term facility
- Remaining in the comfort of home for as long as possible
- Cost
While this discussion may still be met with hesitation, give it some time for your loved one to think about it.
Include Your Loved One’s Feedback During the Interview Process
If you decide to take the next step and interview potential agencies, consider asking these questions:
- How do you deal with patients who have an aversion towards a caregiver or resistance to in-home help in general?
- How do caregivers deal with an agitated dementia client?
- Is your agency accredited?
- Will I have the same caregiver all the time?
Choosing an Agency
Once you’ve done your research and have found a home healthcare agency that you feel is a good fit, it’s time to move forward. Make every effort to arrange your schedule so that you can be present at the in-home assessment. Any questions that you or your senior loved one may have can be answered at that time. Also, try and be at the home the first time the new caregiver arrives to assist your loved one so that your loved one feels comfortable. If the new caregiver has questions you are there to help with the answers.
Allcare Home Health Agency’s Client Care Manager will check in regularly to make sure that everything is satisfactory and to answer any questions that the client or his or her family member might have. During the beginning stages, expect resistance from your loved one. This is not unusual. Give the new relationship some time. Once your loved one can see how having a trained CNA or PCA in place can improve his or her quality of life, they sometimes wonder how they got along without her! Continue to monitor the progress of things and check in with both your loved one and the caregiver frequently in the beginning.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
If you have questions or feel that you need to adjust your hours to make it more convenient for your loved one, contact the agency that you’re working with. The key is to keep your loved one as comfortable with their new arrangement as possible so that they may reap the rewards of their own personal caregiver or home health aide.
Hiring a home care agency or any type of in-home help requires making difficult yet important decisions. Allcare Home Health is here to help with your decision-making. Our trained, compassionate caregivers can make even the most doubtful clients glad that they chose to remain in the comfort of their home with the assistance of a quality-based agency like Allcare. Call us today to schedule an in-home assessment with one of our Registered Nurses. (919) 301-0236.