As your senior ages, how you communicate with her on a daily basis may need to change as well. If you don't pay attention to this, misunderstandings and hard feelings can start to add up and create resentments. That can be extremely damaging to your relationship and make caregiving so much more difficult than it has to be for both of you.Employ Patience in All Situations
So many factors can make communicating with your elderly family member different than it ever has been before. You're going to need to call on your skills of patience more and more often. This is especially true because caregiving is trying on you, as well. You'll both need for you to take a deep breath and let negative feelings go.
Account for Changing Senses
Your senior's senses may be changing at a rapid rate. Her hearing and vision can make communicating difficult, especially when you're conveying essential information. Having hearing aids can help, of course, as can leaving her notes when you need to tell her something important.
Give Information in Multiple Formats
No matter what is going on with your senior's senses, it's a good idea to utilize more than one method of delivering information. Talking to your aging adult allows you to connect with her on a more immediate level. You can see when she may be confused or need reassurance and being there with her gives you a chance to meet that need. By writing down information in a central place, you can refresh her memory throughout the day. It's also a great way to impart the same information to others who are helping, such as home care providers.
Ask How She Feels about What's Happening
Changes can be extremely difficult for your aging adult, even if she's not mentioning them to you. Talk to her about how she's feeling about your communication issues. She may have some suggestions that can help you to craft a better plan for both of you.
Reassess how your communication techniques are continuing to work with your elderly family member. That way you can adjust as necessary to continue to meet both of your needs.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Jupiter Island, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.