Home > Blog > March 2017 > Tips for Dealing with Frustration of an Uncooperative Senior

Tips for Dealing with Frustration of an Uncooperative Senior

Posted: 3/27/2017 9:19 AM by Interim HealthCare

In your role as a family caregiver, you put a tremendous amount of time, energy, and effort into giving your loved one the care that they need. Because of this it can be extremely frustrating and upsetting to encounter an uncooperative attitude in your aging parent. Dealing with this frustration carefully will help to ensure that your parent gets the care that they need while also protecting your own mental and emotional health.

Use these tips to help you deal with frustration of caring for an uncooperative senior:
• Confront their emotions. When you are dealing with frustration in your care journey it can be valuable to take the time to connect with your parent’s emotions as well. Remember that the need to receive care can be extremely stressful and upsetting for your parent, and that might be the origin of their frustration. Talk to them about their emotions and help them to work through them so that you can come together to focus on improving your care around their needs.

• Remind yourself that you are doing the right thing. Your goal as a family caregiver is to make sure that your senior gets the care that they need to stay healthy, comfortable, happy, and safe as they age in place. Even if your parent is feeling uncooperative, remind yourself that you are doing what you need to do to achieve your care goal.

• Get help. It is easy to get overwhelmed when you are dealing with an uncooperative senior. Be willing to ask for help and accept it when friends and family offer. This can ease the frustration of being the only one that puts forth any effort for your parent and only encountering resistance. It also gives you a chance to ease your stress and maintain better mental and emotional health.

If you have been looking for ways that you can boost your parent’s quality of life, diversify their care and activity, and give them the lifestyle that you know they desire and deserve, starting senior care for them may be the ideal solution. In addition to creating a highly personalized approach to their care that supports their physical challenges and needs, a senior care provider can give them companionship and social engagement that keeps their mental and emotional health at its best as they age. This can be particularly valuable to you if your parent has been uncooperative in the care that you have been trying to give to them. Knowing that your parent has a care provider with them can give you peace of mind that they are still safe and healthy even if they do not want to go along with your efforts. The care efforts of a senior care provider can be incredibly beneficial when your loved one is being uncooperative with the care that you want to give them. Often elderly adults resist care because of emotional challenges or feeling uncomfortable with the idea of their adult child caring for them. The highly personalized services of a senior home care services provider can allow you to take a step back from the care that they need so that your parent is less resistant. This can ensure that they get the care that they need while also relieving your stress and enabling you to focus your energy and attention more effectively.

Learn more about respite care.