Home Medical Alert Systems
You've spent hours pouring over info about elder care; you've investigateded and developed a plan of care for your elderly loved one that should be etched in gold! You're feeling so relieved, knowing that they will now be safe at home, and a caregiver will be accompanying them when you can't...until the day arrives when the caregiver comes to meet them, and your loved one refuses to open the door! What do you do now?
There can be many causes for this attitude toward your plan. Perhaps they feel a loss of control in their lives. Maybe they're angry feeling as if they aren't trusted to be alone at home anymore, and their self esteem is hurting. It may be that they're afraid of having a stranger in their home. Maybe they want their personal space and they can't comprehend why they need assistance in the first place! The way you respond to your loved one's anxieties may, in the end, establish if your "golden" care plan is going to be a success or not.
Before you even begin to initiate your care plan, include your loved one in the "research project." Make sure they feel like they are a part of desision making process as to who to hire, when the caregiver should come, and what kind of care they may need. Even if they aren't completely certain they need the help, it may provide them with the added trust they need to hear that you still appreciate their input and respect their opinions.
If your loved one is afraid of having a newcomer in their home, listen to their concerns and let them know you understand. When determining who to hire, make sure you go to a respectful agency that does criminal background checks and has good referrals and past client recommendations. Convince your loved one of those things when you make your final selection. Be certain that when the caregiver comes to meet them for the first time that you are there by there side, and give them a chance to create a first reaction before you insist on keeping that specific individual. Typically after just a couple of visits, the apprehension dissolves into a cheery, trusting kinship that your loved one will truly appreciate.