What to Do When You Have No Easy Answers with Regard to Elderly Care in Grand Rapids, MI
When it comes to being close to a parent, Sara knew what that was like. She had always been close to her father, sharing her hopes, dreams, and fears with him since she could remember, and he was always there for her when she needed help. When she noticed that he was having some trouble at home after the mild heart attack he had three weeks earlier, she figured that it was time for elderly care at home.
The major problem was that her stepmother refused to even consider hiring elderly care providers. She didn’t believe it was necessary, or that they would do much of anything, other than make a trip out to the house once or twice a week and then, as she put it, “Sit around and wait for their quitting time.”
Sara didn’t have any direct experience with elder care providers, but she was sure there was more to that level of care than just sitting around. But it wasn’t her decision, as far as she could tell. She wasn’t all that close to her stepmother, but that didn’t surprise her much, but they got along well.
While she kept seeing her father’s health decline over the past few weeks, she kept trying to talk to her father and stepmother about getting him some help. He wasn’t against the idea, but her stepmother was adamant that she was doing just fine without any help and that her father was in good hands.
Sara would sit up late at night trying to figure out what to do. There were no easy answers at this point and that meant that her father might not be able to get the care that he needed, that she knew he needed, and she didn’t know where to turn.
That’s when her best friend suggested that she speak to one of the administrators at the local home care agency that she had read about. Her friend told her that they have probably dealt with families going through similar situations. She was skeptical, but then decided it couldn’t hurt to at least call and talk to someone.
She explained the situation and her concerns and the person she spoke to offered her a few suggestions about how to broach the topic and how to present it to the stepmother, as well as her father, that would highlight the benefits and not his or her limitations. She followed that advice and it seemed to make a difference because tomorrow they are going to sit down with an elderly care professional and discuss all of their options.
- Whooping Cough and Seniors: Understanding the Risks and Prevention - November 13, 2024
- 5 Reasons All Seniors Aging In Place Need Home Care Assistance - November 6, 2024
- Caregiver of the Month – November 2024 - November 1, 2024