Video Transcript
[0:00] Welcome to Caregiver SOS by Bay Alarm Medical. My name is Haley Burress. I’m a caregiving expert here to talk about the ugly side of caregiving that no one talks about — the most frustrating and challenging parts of caring for an aging family member, and how to get through it.
[0:15] Let’s talk about a frustrating question. “My mom is so stubborn. I know that she would really benefit from physical therapy visits and using a walker. She has fallen so many times already, and I worry that the next fall will be the one that breaks her hip or something worse. But she refuses. Can I make her go to physical therapy and use her walker?”
[0:44] Unfortunately, we can’t make our aging parents do anything — and this is perhaps the most frustrating part of being an adult child. We understand that a certain treatment or intervention might help our loved one, but they said no and they’re digging in their heels.
[1:00] You can get your loved one’s doctor involved to see if they can write a prescription for physical therapy and her walker. Maybe your mom will listen to their expert advice. However, she might not, and you have to be ready for that possibility.
[1:15] You can continue to give your mom the facts about physical therapy and how it prevents falls. You can continue to remind her how scary it is when she falls and how using a walker can prevent it from happening again. You can even have your siblings or other trusted family members bring the topic up to her.
[1:30] But when it comes down to it, if your mom is able to make her own decisions, she makes the call. This can be difficult to hear and even more difficult to sit with. You just have to remember she’s an adult, has all the information, and gets to make her own decision.
[1:48] Hopefully she will realize that physical therapy and using her walker is the best choice for her health and wellness.
[1:55] Like and subscribe for more caregiving advice.
