If you have an elderly loved one who was very active early in life, they might have a hard time slowing down as they age. But for many people, as their bodies age, it’s vital that they slow down in order to match what they’re physically capable of doing. Otherwise, they could wind up getting hurt or not being able to take care of themselves anymore and needing to move into an assisted living facility well before they’d like.
To help keep these things from happening to your parents or grandparents, here are three tips for encouraging your elderly loved one to slow down.
Enlist People They Trust
Sometimes, different people can say the exact same thing but have that information be heard in very different ways. So if you’ve been telling your loved one that they need to slow down but they haven’t been listening to you, consider who else they trust and might be more receptive to these suggestions coming from.
In some instances, another friend or family member could be the one to point out how trying to do it all is taking a toll on your loved one’s health and well being. They may be able to better connect with your loved one on this level and help them to see just how beneficial it could be for them to stop trying to do so much and take it easy.
Visit The Doctor With Them
For some people, they will really only know that they need to slow down or start making changes in their life when told to do so by their physician. So if you’re thinking that their doctor has recommended certain changes for them that they aren’t implementing, or if you suspect that they’re trying to seem more capable with their doctor than they really are, you may want to consider visiting the doctor with them.
If your loved one will allow you to come to the doctor with them, you can communicate both with your loved one and their physician about your concerns for their health and well being. And with the doctor, you all may be able to come up with some solutions that will work for everyone.
Focus On The Things They Can Do
Losing the ability or the confidence to do certain things can be very hard on people as they age. So rather than focusing on what you think your elderly loved one should stop doing, it might be helpful to focus on the things that they still can do. By continuing to give them as much autonomy as possible, you might be able to smooth things over as you outsource certain tasks that just are too much for them now.
If you have an elderly loved one that you know needs to slow down, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you have this conversation with them.
