A Solution for Aging Parents Who Resist Help

The scenario may sound familiar: Mom and Dad insist on staying in their house. They don’t want a stranger coming into their home to help. Or, perhaps Dad lives alone, and you know he isn’t taking his heart medication regularly. He’s increasingly isolated. You feel overwhelmed with work,  caring for your father and the demands of your family. You need help. They need help. But they’re not ready to consider senior living. What can you do?

First, know that you are not alone. Statistics show more than 50 million Americans live in at least a two-generation adult household. More than 10 million adult caregivers over age 50 lose an estimated $3 trillion in wages, pensions, retirement funds and benefits from caregiving. Fortunately, there are ways to lower the anxiety for everyone and maintain a healthy relationship while also improving your aging parent’s safety.

Talk to Your Parents

Find a time when you’re all relatively calm  and not in the throes of anger or frustration. Ask them what they want as they age. As Jane Wolf Frances, author of Parenting Our Parents: Transforming the Challenge Into a Journey of Love explains, you should try to stay calm, listen to your parents’ concerns, and find ways to help them accomplish their goals.

Set Realistic Expectations

As an adult child of an aging parent, it can be challenging to acknowledge your parent is not the same person as they were in your youth. Discover new ways to enjoy time together. Remember to respect their wishes and not impose your ideas on them. For example, if they’re comfortable with their old phone, don’t insist they upgrade to the latest version. If they don’t want to join a book club, don’t pressure them. As with all relationships, sometimes keeping the peace means picking your battles and letting go of the need for control.

Ease Into a Solution

Moving away from the home they’ve lived in for decades is a big transition, and they may not be ready yet. You can find ways to help them age in place safely. Fellowship Connected Living Powered by Livindi provides a way that keeps you connected to your aging parents and helps them maintain their independent lifestyle.

Fellowship Connected Living powered by Livindi offers benefits for the entire family. You’ll have peace of mind thanks to the three passive, non-intrusive sensors. They can monitor everything from the home’s temperature to the opening and closing of the front door (or even the refrigerator). The dedicated tablet connects them to their family via video calls with a simple touch on the screen.

Your parents also have a Personal Health Navigator, who serves as their healthcare advocate and can connect them to medical professionals. They can get help with scheduling appointments and arranging for a ride to medical appointments. The automated medication reminders ensure there are no more missed doses.

Care, content and connection. This is the heart of the Fellowship Connected Living program. To learn more about how the program can help your loved ones, call us today at 908-580-3849. It’s the smart solution at an affordable price.