Dealing with elderly parents can be frustrating, mainly if they refuse your advice or assistance. It can feel scary, especially if you are seeing them make choices that you think are not the best for their condition. In that case, experts recommend considering an assisted living facility. For example, Lafayette Garden offers a quality parent care facility with 24/7 support. Yet, if you can find a way to communicate with them to support them in maintaining their individuality, you can convince them to make the healthiest decisions possible. Here are a few tips on dealing with aging, stubborn parents.
Why Aging Parents Do Not Listen?
Aged adults may become ashamed or self-conscious they can no longer do what they once did. They cannot admit that they need help with activities that are very personal and private. It is difficult for independent people to admit they cannot do many things necessary to live independently. They do not complain despite pain or hardship.
Senior parents who are depressed may smile less, may not talk as much as they used to, and may seem withdrawn. Aged adults may be afraid they will no longer be capable of enjoying individuality. More significantly, thoughts of suffering, end of life, or pain may cause them concern. It is vital to approach such conditions with empathy, understanding, and patience.
How Do You Know You Must Become More Involved In Your Parent’s Life?
In some circumstances, you might know when to get involved straight away. For example, your aged parent might have had a mishap and now needs help with everyday tasks. They may have been diagnosed with a new disease or gone through an injury.
In other situations, the change is slower. Your parent might become less active as they age, withdraw from social circles, and experience physical and cognitive changes.
Each scenario needs slightly different amendments to your routine but has the same challenges. You must dedicate more time to your parent. And your stress level may increase. Caring for aged parents may make you lose patience even if you are usually calm – which is entirely normal. Yet, to prevent your relationship from getting poorer and keep your mental health okay, it is significant to learn how to handle it. However, if things go out of hand and they don’t listen to you after they age, you have to make sure 24-hour support for them. Lafayette Garden, provides senior care facilities with expert professionals. They also offer memory care, dementia patients, and support after rehabilitation. You can also choose the facility for your stubborn parents to stay for a short period.
Tips for When Aged Parents Won’t Listen
You love them, but sometimes your aging parents will not listen to you, no matter how good your advice is. There will always be a reason for their stubbornness and a way to steer around it to do what needs to be done. The challenge here is finding out how to get there!
Have Patience
Don’t get upset when your aging parents won’t listen to you. Having patience during the harder-to-handle discussions will add fuel to it and allow it to blow out of proportion.
One of the primary purposes of your parents’ life was nurturing you. They were likely a source of wisdom and advice even as you became an adult. As the parent ages, they may struggle with being incapable of providing care for you—particularly if the situation becomes reversed. The finest advice in these situations is to handle it with care. Please do not push your parents into something they might not think is a good idea. Be insistent yet sensitive.
Understand Their Fears
It might be helpful to understand why your parent is giving you a hard time. An aging parent won’t listen owing to fear – they are scared of how their lives are changing.
They might be worried about decreasing abilities, afraid of losing independence, or worse.
In several cases, they are likely concerned about their medical conditions, or they fear the other changes that can come as they continue to age.
Allowing them to perform as many everyday tasks as they can and giving them the independence they need to feel productive and valuable is very important.
Discuss Things When They Are More Compliant
Take the times that your elderly parents are more agreeable. One way that you can do this is to frame a question by using the story of another person.
Again, it is essential to do this while they are in a good mood because if you do not, you may get the opposite answer out of them just because they are in a bad mood.
Accept The Situation As It Is
You cannot win every time, and when you are dealing with your stubborn elderly parents, this may happen. Just take it as a part of the process by letting the conversation die out about a debated topic. You can pick it up again later when they are more agreeable, and you’ll finally get them to do what needs to be done!
Understand the Motivation
It is significant to analyze and try to understand if they are acting out to assert independence or having feelings of confusion or depression. Identifying the motivation behind their behavior can help figuring out ways to overcome the challenges.
Spend Quality Time With Your Elderly Parents
It is easy to get involved in the logistics of caregiving– cleaning, appointments, meals, etc. Sometimes, slowing down and bonding over shared activities can have a positive effect on increasing your reach.
Conclusion
Hope you have a better understanding of how to deal with stubborn older parents now.
Even if you are not feeling overwhelmed, it is always a good idea to reach out to a professional who can help you to prevent further problems. You should consider assisted living if you are having trouble getting your parents to listen to you. Lafayette Gardens is a place where quality of life remains a priority. The caregiving center also offers independent living options for active seniors, ensuring peace, comfort, and security. They have facilities in Alamo, Danville, and Lafayette. You can contact them at 408-623-2859.
