When Someone is Resistant to Help but Needs It, What Do You Do?

This is a common scenario and often what brings families to Aging Wisdom for our expert guidance: The parent that refuses help, especially when it's clear they need it!

In this conversation, Wendy Nathan, Certified Care Manager at Aging Wisdom, and Sandra Cook, Executive Consultant for GenCare Lifestyle, discuss some of the scenarios they've experienced working with adult children and their parents.

Wendy advises to start small, just as she shared in the earlier podcast, which you can listen to by CLICKING HERE.  Bring in a neutral third party, such as a geriatric Care Manager like Aging Wisdom, to help move the conversation forward and provide solutions and options that will work well for the person in your care. 

Worst case scenario, as Wendy and Sandra shared, could be a house fire or Adult Protective Services (APS) is contacted because of a report of self-neglect on the part of the older person.

Find ways to work with your parents before it gets to that point. It takes patience and persistence, but it will pay off in the long run.

Hire a professional to help early on. Especially if you find yourself getting frustrated and overwhelmed. A person trained in guiding conversations and helping with older adults who are resistant to help can honor your parents' feelings and yours  and streamline the process.

Looking for help? Schedule a free get-acquainted call with one of our Aging Life Care Experts today.

Additional Reading

• The Dance: Finding Balance with Helping an Aging Parent
• What is Aging Life Care?

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.