Being a caregiver for a senior citizen can be extremely frustrating for both the caregiver and the person being taken care of. Sometimes there’s just an unprecedented disconnect for whatever reason and it can be misperceived as bullying. One contributor with AARP opened up about his experience being a caregiver who unintentionally ‘bullied’ the person he was caring for.
After realizing what he was doing, he took a step back to analyze the situation and come up with ways on how to motivate a senior citizen to follow plans accordingly without feeling bullied or pushed around.
Do not put tasks above the relationship
It’s important to detect what are front-burner tasks and back-burner tasks. Some tasks need to be adhered by no matter what, such as taking daily medications, in which the caregiver should be very firm about completing. For back-burner tasks that don’t have a level of importance compared to front-burner tasks, the caregiver should be willing to shift plans accordingly and accommodate as such based on what the patient is desiring.
Develop proper approaches and strategies
There’s a certain way that all caregivers should approach their patients in order to make sure the relationship is not severed and that everything is going according to plan. Most patients will respond positively to a gentle, caring tone, but it really is all based on the personality of the patient and their mood, because your go-to approach is bound to change based on the day.
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