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Become a Carer
About
Locations
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Become a Carer
James Bowdler
12 September, 2023
2 min read
Guide Contents
To get someone to accept care, begin with small steps and present it as a favour to you. Have open discussions about the benefits and your limitations. Offer them choices and suggest meeting one or two carers for a chat.
Before you push for someone to accept care, it is crucial to understand their resistance. Old age or sickness can strip away a person’s feeling of independence. Requiring help from others might feel like a loss of dignity. It is not uncommon for people to resist care because they fear losing their homes, their independence, or their privacy. When you understand their resistance, approach them with empathy and reassurance, which leads us to the next point.
Avoid dictating decisions to your loved ones. Start with gentle conversations about future care requirements, emphasising that this is not an immediate action but a part of securing their future health. Encourage them to think proactively – to accept that someday they might require additional support to maintain their standard of living.
When presenting care options to your loved one, offer them choices to make them feel in control. For instance, Prime Carers’ home carer search has detailed carer profiles. Selection of the carer can significantly impact the acceptability of care, as this is someone with whom they will form a personal relationship.
Psychology says that people are more likely to adopt a new behaviour if it’s presented as a help to someone else. Talk about your struggle to juggle your responsibilities and how getting professional home care could provide you with some relief. This approach might help them feel less guilty about requiring help.
Sometimes, reassurances and suggestions from a familiar doctor or nurse can be more persuasive than those from family members. Involve reliable healthcare professionals who can state the necessity of care for the person’s well-being and peace of mind.
Everyone wants to feel safe, especially when inviting someone into their home. Choose a reputable provider like Prime Carers, which performs stringent checks on carers. This assurance will provide a sense of security to your loved one.
It’s essential to be patient and persistent. Change is hard, especially for those who have been independent for many years. Regular, gentle conversations can gradually erode resistance.
Propose a step-by-step care plan, integrating their comfort level. Start small, maybe with a carer visiting a couple of times a week for light housework or social interaction, gradually increasing the frequency and level of care.
One of the significant fears potential care recipients have is the loss of privacy. A professional carer understands the importance of privacy and respects it. Assure your loved one that having a carer does not mean they will lose their dignified space.
Often, resistance to accepting care stems from worries about the financial aspects. Have a frank discussion about finances and help them understand the various options available to fund their care.
For more details on this. review our full article on the cost of care.
Highlight the benefits of receiving care. In addition to ensuring their physical health, having a carer can also contribute to their mental well-being. Social interaction and companionship can combat feelings of loneliness and isolation in seniors.
Remember, the journey of getting someone to accept care is seldom a straightforward one. It takes understanding, patience, and empathy. If approached delicately and step-by-step, even the staunchest resistance can be overcome. After all, your loved one’s well-being is the utmost importance.
James Bowdler
Author
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