Reluctant to have home care? What can be done?
Published: 27/03/2019
When you embark on securing care it is always with the best intentions. Sometimes care in your own home doesn’t work. We will share with you our own experiences for you to consider. For ease let’s call the person needing care, Mum.
Is Mum accepting of care? The number one reason care breaks down is when Mum is not accepting to having help and companionship. Does Mum see it as a stigma and/or losing her independence? If mum does not want care, no will in the world will make this help work. Involve your GP, who can explain the benefits and if possible, involve Mum’s friends experience.
Looking after Mum is an emotive subject for families and to be frank you all have to be on the same page. If one spouse is supportive and the other is not, you are setting up your package of care to fail. Being aligned with Mum helps the caregiver support Mum and the extended family.
Have realistic expectations, it can be a big adjustment. One common mistake is going in with a heavy care package taking Mum from 0-100 straight away. Too much too fast is hard and we have seen this result in care breakdown.
Consider the impact to an adjustment in routine, change is best taken in small steps. Allow time for the care to settle. Although tempting, making sweeping changes often only unsettles the care. It’s an adjustment for Mum and family and potentially the start of a long-term relationship.
Consistency of Caregivers, last on the list but in our experience the most important. Having a familiar face and building trust and a relationship is vital. If your care provider can’t deliver this don’t go with them. Without this the chances are high that the care will not work.
As always, being armed with the tips to succeed will help you get it right. You can find out more about the range of care we provide here and you can always speak to one of our friendly advisors on 020 3397 4555.
