How to Get Other Family Members to Pitch in More Often to Help Your Elderly Loved One

By Geralyn DiGiovanni, Manager, Client Services | August 4, 2016 |

Home Care in Harrison NY

Sometimes as a family caregiver, you wind up with family members who really don’t help out much. It’s possible that they can’t, so home care providers help to fill that void for you. In other cases, though, there might be family dynamics that make it more difficult to get everyone to work together.

Think about Being as Flexible as Possible

Problems really crop up with other family members when your plans are rigid. If you can be a little bit more flexible, other people often feel more included. This is true with big decisions as well as smaller daily activities. Your elderly loved one does need a bit of a routine, but it doesn’t have to be set in stone.

Embrace Other Peoples’ Skills

Every family member brings a different set of skills to the table when it comes to life and when it comes to caregiving. Embrace these different skill sets because they can help you to solve all sorts of problems that can crop up while being a family caregiver. Let other people help out when and where they can, especially if it gives you a break.

Ask Others to Implement Their Ideas

Every family caregiver has heard at least once that someone else has a fantastic idea for how to handle a given problem for their elderly loved one in a different way. A common reaction to this is to feel defensive or to get upset. Instead, offer the other family member a chance to implement their ideas. They may find for themselves why the idea won’t work, or at best, you’ll have a better solution for a problem.

Shelve Criticism

Criticism in general makes people feel excluded, even you as the primary family caregiver. Try making a rule that keeps the family from criticizing the situation unduly. Offering advice is one thing, but actively criticizing just to pick on someone doesn’t have a place.

Institute a Praise System

Instead, institute a system where everyone gets some recognition for helping out with your elderly loved one. If someone does help your elderly loved one within whatever their individual abilities are, make sure that you recognize their contribution. Chances are, they don’t realize how much you actually do for your loved one, either.

As everyone works together, you’ll have a care team that can get a lot done.

If you or an aging loved one are looking for home care in Harrison, NY, call the friendly staff at The Perfect Home Care at (855) 855-5728. Call today!

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Geralyn DiGiovanni, Manager, Client Services

Manager, Client Services at The Perfect Home Care

Geralyn DiGiovanni has been marketing director of The Perfect Home Care since July, 2013. She’s responsible for promoting the agency by identifying and reaching out to market segments that align with the services offered by The Perfect Home Care. Among others, she works closely with geriatric care managers, elder care attorneys, and assisted living facilities. Her industry-specific experience includes multiple stints as a companion aide for seniors. She also has extensive experience in the publishing industry, where she worked as an account manager. “I love this industry and am passionate about working with seniors,” she says.

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