Family and Home Caregivers near Escondido Struggle With Telling Seniors the Truth

As home caregivers near Escondido know, there are subjects that are difficult to talk about with seniors. It is hard, for example, to be honest with an elderly loved one about how their care is affecting the family. Bad news about health is never pleasant to pass on, and financial considerations are sometimes uncomfortable topics as well. Researchers recently found that a high percentage of caregivers admit to lying frequently to the seniors in their life—at least when it comes to certain subjects.

Home Caregivers in San Diego County Have Tough Decisions

To start with, what would you consider a “lie”? Is it wrong to insist that it’s “no trouble” to drive your loved one to doctor’s appointments and spend time cleaning their house when it actually puts great strain on your schedule? What if your aging parent asks you whether a recent purchase he made was a good choice, when it was probably a waste of money? In many cases, it truly seems like a better choice to gloss over the hard truth than to admit it.

Be Honest About the Important Things

Thankfully, the study showed that only a small percentage of people surveyed admitted to lying about medical conditions. As old age progresses, there will be many unpleasant test results, diagnoses, and other news. Hopefully, our relationships with our parents are strong enough that we can pass on that news accurately and help them cope with the facts, rather than hiding them as long as possible.

Making Things Easier

Remember the question about whether your loved one is becoming a burden? By taking advantage of the help that home caregivers in San Diego County can provide, you can ease that burden and have an answer ready that is not only better, but more truthful as well. It is a stressful, difficult job, but help from a great caregiver makes it much easier.

Originally posted 2013-05-23 10:30:29.