Home Care in McKinney, TX Hiring home care can be a wonderful way to give your elderly loved ones a higher quality of life by making sure that they receive the care and assistance they need to meet their daily needs, but for many seniors it can also intimidating. Particularly for seniors who have always been extremely independent, are shy, or have memory loss and confusion due to dementia, having an in home health care services provider in the home can make them feel nervous and uncomfortable. This can result in tension, depression, and resistance to the assistance the care provider offers.
Helping your aging parents feel more comfortable with their home care provider is an important step in getting them to relax, accept the help, and gain all of the benefits the assistance. As you are finding ways to get your parents more comfortable with their care providers, it is important to remember that care agencies often have regulations and policies regarding the care provider’s behaviors, so you may want to check with them before making recommendations for how they can build a relationship with your parents.
Try some of these tips for encouraging your parents to feel more comfortable with their in home care provider:
• Encourage more relaxed clothing. Some seniors may find comfort in having a professional handling care tasks such as bathing and toileting assistance and like the look of a care provider in scrubs, but others may relate scrubs to doctors and nurses and become nervous. If your parents are uncomfortable with scrubs or you want to reduce the impression of “care” in favor of “help” for seniors resistant to care, consider asking the care provider to wear more relaxed clothing. A pair of khakis and a polo shirt or sweater is more casual and can put your parents at ease.
• Use the right names. Care providers will automatically call your parents by their formal title and last name. Some seniors prefer this, but others feel it is too stiff. If you know that your parents are more casual and are more comfortable being referred to by their first names or even by a nickname, introduce them that way. Let the care provider know that this is the preferred name so that she feels comfortable using it and can make your parents feel more connected to her.
• Get to know pets. Pets play an important role in the physical and emotional health of seniors. They are also a fantastic bridge between your parents and people trying to get to know them. Introduce the pets to the care provider and encourage them to interact with the pets, talk to your parents about them, and engage with your parents through care activities with the pets.
• Make connections. It is easier to feel comfortable with someone with whom you have things in common. Talk with the new care provider and share details about your parents such as favorite activities, favorite foods, favorite hobbies, and favorite TV shows so you can find things they share with the care providers. This can help to start conversations and creates connections between your parents and their care provider so they can start building a relationship.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Home Care in McKinney, TX, Please Call The Caring Staff At Second Family Home Care At (972) 846-HOME (4663).