Starting the Conversation: How to Begin Talking About Elderly Care

Tips on having the conversation on starting elderly care services for your loved one by Comfort Keepers of Wichita, KS.

More often than not, talks with our senior parents about elderly care do not happen on time. Most often, adult children of elderly parents are unable to overcome the discomfort that frequently prevents them from beginning up these important discussions. However, beating this comfort can do a lot to improve the lives of seniors.

Studies have shown that elderly care can contribute greatly to an improved quality of life for seniors and it makes sense that this would be the case. Caregivers work closely with your loved one and their family to make sure they are getting everything they need to get through the day, and stay healthy, happy and independent for a long time.

The best way to approach such a conversation is to plan carefully and think through possible outcomes and questions. That way, you will be calm, positive and productive, and your loved one can say little to catch you off-guard. This way, your loved one will have a much easier time believing this is the right choice.

A great place to start is by writing down everything you are thinking or that may be helpful to say during the conversation. Also, remember, there is likely to be more than one conversation with your loved one about elderly care, so, relax, take it easy, and know that you do not have to say everything that is important at once.

Here are a few additional tips for starting the conversation with your senior parent:

• Bring your concerns up as soon as you start noticing changes in your loved one's health. This way, your parent will be getting the care they need as soon as they need it.
• Make sure the conversation happens somewhere where both you and your parent feel comfortable.
• Include as many family members as possible. This will help give your loved one a feeling of support.
• Do not threaten your loved one. Making the experience as non-threatening as possible will greatly contribute to its success.
• Communicate as well as possible. Look your parent in the eye, hug them if they need it, let them talk. These are all great non-verbal ways to express your concern for them without making them feel threatened.
• Share a story you know about how elderly care has proven successful for someone your loved one knows. This is a great way to help them gain more trust in the situation.

To find out more about how elderly care can be useful to your loved one and improve their quality of life, please give us a call today.