One of the hardest things to do is grow up and see your parents or loved ones grow as well. There may come a day that you notice that mom isn’t as sharp as usual. Or dad seems really tired and hasn’t been able to do what he normally likes to do. And in these moments, you might feel a small frown appear on your face. You might begin to notice the lines on theirs. In that moment, you may think, they need more help than you had realized before.
Before you immediately begin searching the internet for resources, calling companies and building an idea of what it’s going to cost. This is the time to really talk with your loved ones. Some of the things that you can ask that will help you judge what needs are there are:
- What are you struggling with on a daily basis? A Monthly. A weekly?
- Are you having trouble cooking? Keeping up the house?
- Maybe you don’t feel comfortable driving to your Dr.’s appointments.
- Do they have a Long-Term Care plan? What kind of plan is it?
- How do you feel, physically?
- Have you hurt yourself doing anything that should be a normal daily task?
- Are you lonely, do you feel secluded?
Asking for help is one of the hardest things to do. Having our independence threatened is scary and every one of us is uncomfortable with that idea. So before digging for care companies, our recommendation as a first step is: What can we change to help our loved ones?
Can we change how we do our grocery shopping? There are so many new resources that stores have, allowing for delivery, scheduled automatic shipments, as well as store pickup. Can we change how the house is set up? Maybe the upstairs bedroom is harder to get to. But there’s a comfortable room on the main level that might even suit better! Maybe it’s harder to step over a tub ledge, and a walk-in shower would be a wonderful addition! Meal Prep is difficult, and take out is expensive. Let’s talk about what food you like, what food we can prep, and what easy to fix items are enjoyed.
Sometimes changing how we live our daily life is the only thing needed. Shifting our focus from “I need help with how I do things now!” to “How can we change things we do now, to a safer and more adaptable way to live?” Maybe there is no other changes that can be made.
Maybe you have already done all of these things in your loved one’s home. In those moments, asking for help is a necessity, and we will be here to walk you through all the times ahead.
