How to Introduce your Parent to a Caregiver?
By Jeremy Grant
Owner of Home Instead Hamilton
Tips from the Caring Team at Home Instead
Deciding to hire a home healthcare professional can be very difficult, especially if your parent was resistant to the idea. Once you find what seems to be the right person, now comes the fun part – introducing them to your parents! If you take some proactive steps to ease the transition, you stand a better chance of the relationship going well.
Ease your beloved parent’s mind when you hire a personal support worker from Home Instead Hamilton. Our team understands the delicate nature of having a “stranger” come into their home. We want to help Mom and Dad live in their house for as long as possible, so we offer a variety of services, including medication reminders, household duties, meal preparation, personal care, returning home from hospital, as well with Parkinson’s help, Alzheimer's and dementia care, and much more. You will not need to worry when our team is on-site with your loved one. If you’re worried about caring for your loved one during the busy holiday season, count on us to help you.
4 Tips for Success when Introducing Your Parent to a Caregiver
By making the change in stages, you give all parties involved some solid footing from which to build their relationship. Remember, this will not happen overnight, it will help for the upcoming days:
- Prepare your senior early. The moment you have a caregiver lined up, let your loved one know the transition is happening. The earlier you inform them, the more time they will have to process the upcoming changes. This includes how their routine may need to adjust.
- Talk with the caregiver and let them know your parent’s likes and dislikes. You will give the caregiver a chance to find some common ground upon which they can work to win your parent over. Remember to add the tips you have discovered along the way that have helped you fulfil your caregiving responsibilities.
- Start with a short visit and then build from there. Arrange for a quick “meet and greet” for all parties involved. Next, consider having the caregiver come in a few hours a week and then add more hours as your Mom gets comfortable with the person.
- Encourage your loved one to be open-minded to the change but also share their concerns. If you need to, remind them of the reasons you decided to hire a professional, but also let them know that it is essential to find the right one. Take time to listen to their concerns and work with them to find the right fit.
Make Introductions Easier with Assistance of a Home Instead PSW
Ease the stress and worry of introducing a new personal support worker with some patience and proactive steps. The caregivers from Home Instead, Hamilton can jump right in and give you and your loved one the support, patience, and peace of mind you both desire. We create custom-designed home care services to benefit both you and your senior. Our diligent staff will serve the needs of your aging senior with compassion and kindness. It gives us pride and great pleasure to recognize their efforts with a CAREGiver of the Month Award. A big shout out and thank you to all our staff!
Call us at (905) 521-5500 to schedule a no-obligation, in-home consultation. Learn more about the compassionate, quality senior care we deliver, every day, to families in Hamilton Mountain, Downtown Hamilton, Rosedale, Kings Forest, Binbrook, Meadowlands, Ancaster, and Dundas.