{"id":5269,"date":"2022-04-21T17:04:03","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T17:04:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comfortkeepers.ca\/peterborough\/blog\/5-reasons-a-senior-parent-is-refusing-care\/"},"modified":"2022-04-21T17:04:03","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T17:04:03","slug":"5-reasons-a-senior-parent-is-refusing-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comfortkeepers.ca\/peterborough\/blog\/5-reasons-a-senior-parent-is-refusing-care\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Common Reasons A Senior Parent Is Refusing Care: Understanding An Older Adult’s Concerns About In-Home Senior Care And Tips For Talking To Them About It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Talking To Your Senior Parent About In-Home Care Isn\u2019t Always Easy.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

\u201cLove your parents. We are so busy growing up, we forget that they are growing old.\u201d – Unknown\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Watching your senior parents cope with getting older can be tough. As they age, their abilities change and their needs increase. For most (if not all) seniors, there will come a time when care is required. And, whether it\u2019s because of an illness or the natural challenges that come with ageing, the reversal of roles is often hard to accept\u2014for everyone. It’s not uncommon to see a senior parent refusing care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not uncommon for senior parents to refuse care. Even when changes in their health or mobility start to impact their quality of life, asking for and accepting help is hard. Understanding the reasons why your senior loved one is refusing care is the key to having healthy, productive conversations and ultimately, helping them change their perspective.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Senior<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

No One Likes To Think About Themselves As \u201cOld\u201d<\/b><\/h2>\n

Getting old is not widely seen as a positive thing. In fact, according to <\/span>one study<\/span><\/a> \u201c[s]o many Canadians look down on seniors that ageism has become the most tolerated form of social discrimination in Canada\u2026.\u201d It\u2019s no wonder that many seniors want to avoid accepting support that might confirm their status as old. So, if you\u2019re talking to your senior parents about investing in regular or occasional<\/span> in-home senior care<\/span><\/a> don\u2019t be surprised if you\u2019re met with resistance or outright refusal. There are several common reasons an ageing parent might have for objecting to care and it\u2019s important to understand and acknowledge each one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5 Common Reasons Your Senior Parents Are Refusing Care\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. \n
      \n
    1. They are scared to lose their independence.<\/b> Your senior mother or father might worry that accepting in-home care will signal the end of their independence. The presence of a caregiver can be experienced as a loss of control and that can be very hard for a senior who is used to managing on their own.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. They worry about being a burden. <\/b>Once the caregiver, now the one being cared for, aging parents often worry about being a burden on their adult children. Even if you\u2019re more than happy and financially able to either provide or<\/span> invest in care for your senior parent<\/span><\/a>, the reversal of roles can be difficult to come to terms with.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. They fear being viewed as incompetent or incapable.<\/b> For some seniors, asking for help is synonymous with being viewed as incapable or, worse, incompetent. Too often seniors are treated like children\u2014dismissed as unable to make safe and healthy choices for themselves. Accepting the help of an in-home caregiver can feel like a confirmation of this stereotype.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. They might be depressed. <\/b>Unfortunately, depression affects seniors more often than you might realize. And, when a person is depressed it can be hard to ask for or accept help when it is being offered. If your senior parent is depressed, they may not think they need care. Know <\/span>the signs of senior depression<\/span><\/a> and help your loved one face this challenge before continuing your discussion about in-home care.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. They may be living with a cognitive impairment. <\/b>\u00a0If your ageing mother or father is experiencing the early stages of dementia or another condition that affects their cognition, accepting help may not be something they are capable of. <\/span>NOTE: You should never assume that your senior parent is not \u201cin their right mind\u201d just because they refuse care. As we\u2019ve seen above, there are many other perfectly valid reasons this could be the case. But, if you are concerned about their cognitive health, encourage them to connect with a health care provider.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \"Senior<\/h2>\n

      How To Talk To Your Senior Parent About Their Reasons For Refusing Care.<\/b>
      \n<\/b><\/h2>\n

      You can\u2019t force someone to accept help they don\u2019t want.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Whatever reason is given, if your senior parent is refusing care you\u2019ll have to talk to them about it. The reasons for refusing help aren\u2019t always logical\u2014but that doesn\u2019t make them wrong. So, when you talk to your ageing mother or father, don\u2019t rely on logic alone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n