Are you at the stage in life when you see that your elderly parent or another loved one could use a little help but refuse to ask for it? You’re not alone. Sometimes, taking those first steps toward asking for help is the most challenging step for anyone, especially an older person who has been independent their entire life. Home care assistance is a great way to introduce help to your aging loved one.
Reasons Why Someone May Deny Needing Help
There are several reasons why your elderly loved one refuses to ask for help even though he needs it. The first may be pride. Your loved one may not want to admit he can no longer do the things he used to. He might feel his value is connected to being able to perform those tasks, and by admitting he needs help, he feels he’s lowering his value in this world.
Another reason many elderly people don’t want to ask for help is fear of losing their independence. Your loved one may be leery about asking for help around the home because he’s afraid if you think he needs help, you might then jump to the conclusion that he shouldn’t have a home at all.
Finally, your loved one may think he is the only one who can perform a certain task, and no one else can do it correctly or as good as him. He might not like the idea of someone else stepping in and taking over.
Five Ways to Help a Loved One Who Refuses Help
- Start Small: Don’t offer to come in and take over everything that needs to be done. Instead, ask if you can help with one small chore, like paying bills or walking the dog.
- Pay Attention to His Surroundings: Your loved one might say he’s managing fine, but if you see that his lawn is overgrown, you might be able to determine that he needs some help with lawn care. Offer help for those areas that need attention.
- Ask Specific Questions, Not Broad Questions: Instead of asking, “Is there anything you need help with?” try a direct question such as, “Can I help with laundry each week?”
- Remind Him How Much It’ll Help You to Help Him: You might state that weeding the garden together each week is a great way for you to spend more time with him or that having him direct you in cleaning out the gutters on his home will prepare you for when you have a home.
- Finally, You Might Just Step In and Do It: Bring a meal each Sunday, have a kid mow his lawn, grab the full laundry basket, and fold clothes during your next visit. By just doing it, he doesn’t have to ask.
Home Care Assistance Can Be the Bridge
For some older adults, the idea of receiving help from the children they raised is just too tough to swallow. This can be when offering to have a professional home care assistance provider come and help with home care may be an option your loved one will find more palatable.
A home care assistance provider can help your loved one with chores around the home she is struggling to manage or help with personal care needs that she’s not comfortable asking a family member to help with. If even this is hard for your loved one to accept, start small and then build on the services the home care assistance team will provide as your loved one becomes more comfortable.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance in St. Louis, MO, please contact the caring staff at Pear Tree Home Care today! (314) 942-9411
Pear Tree Home Care Provides Senior Home Care Services in St. Louis, Ladue, Chesterfield, Town and Country, Clayton, Des Peres, St. Charles, Wildwood, Brentwood, Maryland Heights, Lake St. Louis, O’Fallon, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Arnold, Oakville, Mehlville, Creve Coeur, St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Franklin County, Warren County, Jefferson County, and surrounding areas.
At Pear Tree we’re innovators. Our goal, to create a family of caregivers looking to provide a one of a kind experience to our clientele.
In 2016, our founders noticed a key problem in home care industry that everyone seemed to be ignoring.
It’s too systematic. Home care isn’t one size fits all. Just like people aren’t one size fits all.
That’s where Pear Tree comes in.
We yearn for you to have the best possible care for your loved ones and the peace of mind that comes with knowing they aren’t only in good hands. They’re in great hands. Because, in the end, that’s what we’d want for our family.
It’s proven. When the home care experience is immersive and personalized, you’re going to produce better success rates with healthier family members.
Please, join us in our journey of revolutionizing the home care industry and creating lasting relationships along the way.
This is not the first Home Care agency for Pat, she was the Director of nursing for Kimberly Nurses in 1980 and after the tragic passing of the companies president she opened and co-founded American Nursing Resources Home Health Agency. Pat opened and passed Medicare certification for ANRHHA Clayton and Washington, MO offices.
For Zachary, the name “Pear Tree” is a tribute to his beloved late friend; Wade Abbadessa. Wade worked at his family’s famous restaurant “The Pear Tree” in Macon, until his tragic death in September 2014. Wade lost his battle with a rare form of bone cancer at the young age of 26. His legacy will live on through our company.
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