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One of the most challenging tasks adult children face is convincing their parents that it may be time to accept help in the home. No one likes to be told they can’t do things that they’ve been doing independently for decades, especially from their own children! But when signs show that elderly parents are having difficulty maintaining their health,their home and/or their daily activities, it is time for children to step in.

The following suggestions from SeniorAdvisor.com might be helpful in approaching such a difficult subject:

1. Consult with siblings or other family members who may have an interest in their loved one’s well being before bringing up the topic with them. It will be helpful to get everyone’s input and work out differences of opinion before talking with parents.
2. Talk with their doctor, clergy or parents’ friends to get their insight and support. No matter how much parents love and respect their children, they are still their children.  Hearing they need help from their peers or someone they view with authority will carry more weight than coming from their children.
3. Listen to their concerns and respect their feelings. While it might seem obvious that aging parents need help, they may think they are doing just fine or be afraid to admit something is wrong. Take time to really listen to them and acknowledge their concerns. Some common fears seniors have about accepting help are:
   • Fear of losing independence
   • Having strangers in their home
   • The cost of care
4. One small step at a time. If elderly parents have a positive experience with a small service such as house keeping or meal preparation once or twice a week, they may be open to accepting more help as it becomes necessary.

Aspen Senior Care works hard to make the transition from independence to receiving some extra help at home run smoothly. We recognize that seniors want to be as independent as possible and we train our caregivers to never do for seniors what they can do for themselves. But when a little additional help is needed in the kitchen or with personal care, we are there to ensure seniors are safe and well cared for.

Call us at 801-224-5910 to find our about our services and how we can help your loved ones.