How to Talk to Seniors in Bethesda, MD and Surrounding Areas About COVID-19 Precautions

Here are some tips on having an honest and respectful conversation about COVID-19 precautions – and the benefits of hiring a private home care agency like Visiting Angels for additional support – with seniors in Bethesda, Aspen Hill, Silver Spring and surrounding areas in Maryland

Although we still don’t have all the facts about the coronavirus, we know that it is mostly spread through contact and that seniors are a high-risk group. Since older adults can get seriously ill from the virus, most families have become worried about the well-being of their aging loved ones. Their concerns get even bigger when elderly family members refuse to listen to recommendations given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and do not want to change their behavior in any way.

As one of the leading professional private home care agencies in Bethesda, MD, Visiting Angels understands that your loved one’s health and safety are one of your main priorities. Therefore, we have created a list of ways you can help your parent understand why this pandemic is a reason for concern.

Get the Facts About Seniors and COVID-19

Before you have a conversation with your loved one, find all the information you can about COVID-19, and make sure you get it from reliable sources, such as the CDC and state health departments.

Understand Your Loved One’s Position About the Coronavirus

It is important that you understand why your loved one is behaving this way. To figure out their point of view, asking questions is your best strategy. Firstly, see what they know about the virus and ways it can affect them. Secondly, ask them what they’ve done to keep themselves safe. Their answers can help you realize why they are refusing to change their behavior. For example, if your loved one is struggling with memory loss, they might have simply forgotten the information they heard about the virus. On the other hand, your parent could be convinced that they cannot get infected because they never get sick. It is also possible that they do not wish to take orders from the government. Learning about the reasons for their behavior can help you come up with a great persuasion technique.

Make Your Case

When you are talking to your loved one, it is extremely important to set the right tone and avoid any kind of pressuring and badgering. See what their concerns are and address each of them. If your loved one is worried about obtaining supplies during the lockdown, hire one of the local private home care agencies that offers grocery shopping services like Visiting Angels of Bethesda. Maybe your parent is concerned about not seeing their friends and family. If so, provide them with ways to stay in touch with their loved ones without leaving their home. Most private home care agencies like Visiting Angels of Bethesda strive to keep their clients engaged in favorite activities and provide meaningful companionship, so if your loved senior is worried that they will miss out on something, one of our caregivers can easily find fun alternatives for their usual hobbies.

Be Open to Two-Way Communication

After you have talked to your loved one, let them know that they can count on you and ask you questions about the virus whenever needed.

If you're interested in how our private home care agency can help your loved one during the pandemic, call our office in Bethesda, MD today.