How Do You Talk to Your Dad About Home Care?

By Care Street Home Care Staff | September 30, 2022 | Comments Off on How Do You Talk to Your Dad About Home Care?
Home Care in Old Bridge NJ

Home Care in Old Bridge NJ

Home care services are an important part of long-term care plans. It’s estimated that 69% of older adults will require care at some point, often for an average of three years. With so many reasons to hire caregivers to help your aging parent, it’s important to have a plan in place for talking to your dad about his need for home care.

Have People He Trusts Join in a Discussion

Before you talk about senior care services, arrange a time when people can join your dad for a meal and discussion. If everyone is there to talk to him, especially people who he trusts, it’s less stressful and alienating for him.

Keep Personal Opinions Out of It

Personal opinions don’t matter. Facts are what count. Your dad has fallen once. He broke a bone in that fall. Those are facts that he cannot dispute. Bring up statistics on how many older adults who’ve fallen once fall again within a year.

Focus on facts and bring up the statistics that back the reasons home care is beneficial to older adults. Use these facts to show him how home care would specifically benefit him.

Ask Him What He Needs to Age at Home

Your dad’s goal is to age at home. If he’s having difficulty doing that, ask him what he needs every day to ensure it’s possible. He may not realize the different services caregivers offer. He might associate caregivers with helping him bathe and shower, but not realize that caregivers can stop by and clean his home, take him out to the movies, or join him on walks.

Give Him Time to Think About It

Once you’ve had a family discussion about the different ways caregivers could help your dad, let him think about all that’s been said. Let him start to form an opinion on his own. Obviously, if there’s a health crisis, you won’t have as much time to plan and arrange home care, but give your dad as much time as you can.

Make Sure He Gets to Ask Questions

As you start making plans for the care services he needs, put a priority on his questions. Talk to him about the services he needs, ask if he has questions or concerns, and jot them down. When you call an advisor, your dad’s questions are the first you’ll ask. Have your dad be part of the call or meeting, if possible.

You know your dad best, so use your knowledge of him to best approach him regarding home care. He may need you to push hard, or he may put up walls if you try to push him. No matter what the best approach is, make sure you talk to him about the benefits of home care.

Sources:
https://acl.gov/ltc/basic-needs/how-much-care-will-you-need

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Old Bridge, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care today. Call (732) 607-8870.

Care Street Home Care Staff
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