How to Make Home Health Care Work Smoothly When Your Dad Refuses to Cooperate
Your dad had a stroke and needs care at home as he regains strength and regular abilities. He’s always had a stubborn streak. You’re worried that his refusal to cooperate will have nurses quitting before anything is done. Here are some ways to ensure home health care works smoothly when your dad needs it.
Talk to Him About What Happens Before the Nurse or Therapist Arrives
Home Health Care Springfield, VA: Making Home Health Care Work
Go over what will happen throughout the day. If you walk your dad through what he should expect, it may be easier for him to adjust to the day’s care plan.
Talk about the home health care services that will be helping him regain his speech, movements, and mobility. Go over what you’ll help with and what his nurses and therapists will do with him.
Arm Yourself With Rewards
If you had kids, think about your actions when they did something they didn’t want to do. Did you offer a special snack that they didn’t often get? Did you increase praise? Did you offer to get a special reward if they did something for several weeks without putting up a fuss?
Use the same approach with your dad. You know he loves oatmeal raisin cookies. Make a batch and offer him a cookie when he’s done what his home health care specialists ask him to do.
If he has a new diet to follow, stick to the doctor’s recommendations. There are ways to make these cookies without added sugar or butter. Find recipes that match his dietary needs. Mashed bananas or pureed dates are great sugar substitutes.
Be Present Without Getting in the Way
Be in the home, but stay out of the home health care professional’s way. If there are serious issues, the nurse can get you and ask you to help calm your dad down. Otherwise, the nurse is trained and knows what to do. You may find that your presence helps comfort your dad, making the day go better than you might expect.
Remember that home health care nurses and therapists have a wide range of experience. Your dad isn’t the first person they’ve dealt with that doesn’t want to cooperate. Stay calm, and don’t let him see you getting upset.
Let the home health care specialists use the training they have. Often, their expertise is all that’s needed to get your dad to cooperate. You just need to sit back and let them do their job.