Getting care for an aging parent can be a stressful time. You have to figure out how you can trust someone you don’t know with all of their daily needs, both personal and medical. The problem gets even worse, however, when your parent doesn’t want care.

Maybe they’re insistent that they’re perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. Perhaps they want you to take on the job, and nobody else. Unfortunately, they’re in danger of hurting themselves, and you simply can’t handle what’s needed. Learn some tips and tricks for dealing with helping a parent who doesn’t want senior care, how you can keep them safe while alleviating the stress you feel.

Have a Conversation

You might want to have a conversation with your parent about the issue before it becomes necessary. If you outline the need for it, the circumstances under which it’ll have to happen, and they agree to it, this can help you when the time comes. Be patient with them and ask open-ended but deep questions. Try to understand where they’re coming from and how they feel.

Don’t Rush Things

Be prepared to have more than one conversation. You might not achieve the answer right away. The key is to get to the bottom of their fears — privacy, finances, trust issues, loss of independence — and work to address those fears.

Have Them Involved

When the time does come, it’s important to have options to have your parent involved with the process. Let them decide what days the healthcare aide will come to the house. Let them be involved with interviewing people and choosing someone to help.

Try to find someone they can bond with and develop a relationship with. However, make sure that you keep your head about you and check the credentials to make sure it’s someone you both can trust.

Involve Other Professionals

If your parent doesn’t want to listen to you, have a conversation with their doctor, social worker, nurse, even their priest or minister. Sometimes people will listen to a professional relationship more closely than they will a loved one.

Introduce the Aide Slowly

When you do bring an aide into the picture, take it slow. Bring them in for a brief home visit every so often. Have coffee with them. Let them come while you’re there and help you. Then gradually increase their role while decreasing your own. This will also let you build a trust with the aide so you can feel more comfortable with them.

Plan for the Future

Make sure you have a solid financial plan in place for your loved one’s future. Having the right end of life plans established — including asset protection — can help to make sure that the aide won’t betray you.

If you need help developing end of life, estate planning or asset protection plans before hiring an in-home healthcare worker in the Cuyahoga County, OH, area, the attorneys at Stano Law can help. Contact our offices for advice and help with your elder law needs today.