Walking alongside your parents and they enter the twilight stage of life can be challenging. After all, for the duration your life, they have guided you. Now, it’s your turn to advise them, and often, they aren’t exactly easy-to-instruct. The following are some ideas to convince them to get a medical alert system, without causing excessive conflict and frustration:
Ask Them as a Favor
Let’s face it, a parent will do anything for their child, no matter their age. Tell your parents you are worried about them living alone. What if they fell? How would they get help? Ask them to consider a medical alert system for your peace-of-mind. Tell them you know it might be silly to worry, but you do, so ask for their help in making your life less stressful.
Be Honest With Them
Tell your parents that as they age, their risk of falling increases. You can also tell them that if they were to fall, and perhaps be left lying for hours, that could mean they have to go to assisted living or a nursing home to recuperate. Explain the statistics associated with falling and aging. Such as the following:
- One in every three adults, who are aged 65 years and older will fall yearly. These injuries can cause serious and even fatal injuries. This according to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention.
- Those who are 65-years of age are at a greater risk of falling when compared to the average population, according to the National Safety Council.
- Some 1.6 million older adults visit the emergency room each year for fall related injuries, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Explain The Concept
Everyone pushes back against something they don’t understand. This is normal. Therefore, it’s important your parent understands what you are talking about when asking them to use a medical alert system. They might have some bulky, difficult, obtrusive product in mind. If you can show them the medical device and explain how easy it works and how it is designed to be unobtrusive, you might convince them to give it a go.
Offer a Trial Run
Sometimes, your parent still won’t be convinced to wear a medical alert device. If this is the case, ask them to try it temporarily. Tell them you only want them to use it for a month or two, give it a trial run. Hopefully, during this time, they will see that it’s not nearly as bad as they thought.
Understand Their Changing Role
Aging is difficult. Understand that hearing your child ask you to, in essence, be monitored can seem like an intrusion on your parent’s carefully guarded independence. Don’t ever talk down to them. Understand their position. It’s not easy to admit you need such a device. Be patient and treat them how you would hope to be treated one day when you are in the same position with your children.
Tell Them They Need it To Continue Living Alone
Most older people are fiercely independent. The thought of moving into an assisted living or nursing home is a horrible suggestion. Tell your parent that if they want to remain living on their own, they need a medical alert system that can help keep them safe. Hopefully, their desire for continued independence will outweigh their dislike of wearing a medical device.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/Falls/adultfalls.html
https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/safety-topics/older-adult-falls
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/prevent-falls-and-fractures
