Senior Care in Babylon NY: Understanding Your Loved One
When it comes time to talk to your loved one about her driving, it can feel as if you’re each having a different conversation. What you need to do is find a way to understand a little better why she’s clinging to driving so fiercely.
Take a Look at What Driving Means to You.
Before you start this conversation with your loved one, take a few minutes and really think about what driving means to you. Is it just a means of getting from home to work, or is there more riding on your ability to drive? Where do you go during a day or even during an entire week? How would you be able to run the errands that you need to run every week?
What Would You Do?
Once you have a solid picture of where you go and what you need to do that usually resolves with you being able to drive, brainstorm the solutions you’d use. Perhaps you’d be able to have other family members drive you where you need to go or you’d use public transportation. How would that make you feel? Would it be too expensive in your area?
Look at What Options Are Available for Your Loved One.
Hopefully the above questions give you a chance to see what this situation might feel like for your elderly loved one. Some of the solutions that might work for you, though, probably won’t work as well for your loved one. Public transportation can be very tricky if your loved one uses a walker, for example. Senior care providers can drive for your loved one, as can other family members. Your area may have options specifically for elderly loved ones, too.
Don’t Forget about Short Notice Options.
You’ve probably found quite a few options for transportation that your loved one can plan for, but what about when she needs to be somewhere on short notice? She may be able to call you or another family member, but that’s not always feasible. If you have senior care providers regularly visiting your loved one, this can be another great short notice option for transportation.
If your loved one feels as if you’re pushing her into one decision or another, this might be because she’s not ready to have this conversation yet. Try to table it, at least as long as her safety isn’t at immediate risk, and then revisit it later.
If you or an aging family member are considering professional senior care in Babylon, NY, please call the caring staff at A Gentle Touch Senior Home and Health Care at 631-647-7622 today.