#palosheights

There comes a time when an elderly person can no longer live alone. The risks start to increase, mainly in relation to forgetfulness, such as, for example, missing the time to take the medication or forgetting that you have already taken it and taking it again. Some elderly women even forget to eat and hygiene procedures. 

In some cases, forgetfulness can generate great dangers: turning on the stove and not lighting it, leaving the gas leaking. And these attitudes are much more frequent than we imagine. Anyway, there are a series of risks that accumulate for an elderly person who lives alone. Often the family is unable to care for this elderly woman in her own home due to lack of accommodation.

Getting old is hard. It often means more aches and pains, less mobility, and more difficulty managing one's life. It's no wonder that so many seniors are determined to remain independent, but a large proportion of them now need help and support on a day-to-day basis to complete a daily task. This is why so many elderly people need assisted living or reside in a nursing home like Peacevillage in Palos Heights, Chicago. 

However, many refuse to live in a nursing home. In this article, I'm going to suggest four tips that can help you talk to your elderly woman who refuses to move into a nursing home. Check out!

4 tips for talking to an elderly woman about moving to a nursing home

Change your approach

When what you're doing isn't working, it's time to change tactics. Don't repeat the same speech over and over again. Try these tips that might work well:

Give your loved one a sense of control. Don't talk about how they "have to" do something. Instead, ask them to explore options with you.

Instead of your frustration and fear, express your concern and love.

Highlight the benefits of living in a nursing home, such as more independence and easier socialization.

Also consider asking for feedback from people you trust. Ask if you are being too aggressive, too controlling, or using a doomed approach.

Then change your approach accordingly.

Know how to retreat

If you've tried to gently approach your loved one without success, consider backing off a bit. When the elderly woman does not want an assisted living and feels tormented by this possibility, it is easy for her to feel that she has lost control over her life.

So consider stepping back for a few weeks. This can give your loved one time to think things over, assess the situation, and perhaps independently conclude that they need assisted living.

Present your feelings

If you have a good relationship with the elderly women in your life, they care about your feelings. Instead of telling them they are sick, talk about your own feelings. Some scripts to try include:

“I want you to be happy, but helping you with daily chores is making it difficult for me to be a good father to my children.”

“I feel very exhausted and you don't look very happy. I'm looking for a way to help us."

“I care about you a lot because I love you so much. I want to find a way for you to stay independent, become more active and always be safe.”

Don't say they are burdensome or irritating. Don't say they are being selfish. The aim is to center their own anxieties and present assisted living as a solution.

Ask for help from others

The messenger is important. Sometimes changing the messenger can make a lot of difference. Also, by involving others, you make the message more compelling and keep the family narrative consistent. Some people to enlist for support include:

a person your loved one trusts;

a trusted doctor. Encourage the doctor to highlight the dangers of continuing to live alone;

Another family member with whom your loved one has a good relationship. Does the mother always listen to her favorite child? Do grandchildren have much influence over their father? Ask them for help.

If your loved one still refuses, family intervention may be helpful, but proceed with caution. The goal should be to convey concern and not make your loved one feel forced or intimidated.