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The Art Of Intervening
from:There is always a right time for everything. Doing the wrong thing at the right time doesn't mean that things will become right. It will still end up being wrong and that's why people should observe right timing.
In sensitive cases such as dealing with elderly people, practicing the right time of intervening is really important. You know why? It's because elderly people are at a stage when they are very sensitive about certain kinds of things, especially when its about their abilities and capacities.
Elderly people reach a stage when they feel insecure and useless because of their current status. Come to think of it, it is actually disappointing and frustrating to come to a point when you realize that you cannot do some things that you could do easily when you were younger.
Realistically speaking, it is always good to plan ahead so that when the time comes that important decisions should be made, the family will not have a hard time deciding. Even though it is quite uncomfortable to talk about certain kind of things such as what will we do when mom or pop gets old, it is highly suggested that this kind of issue be talked about in advance.
In addition, it would be best if the whole family talk openly about it. The parents involved and their siblings should all come to an agreement so that certain family conflicts don't arise.
In the process of discussing this kind of elderly issues, tact and delicacy must be observed so that no one will get offended. Remember, elderly people tend to be sensitive whenever their capacities and abilities are the focus of the topic. Try not to emphasize their weaknesses so much. If needed, try your best to be subtle about it so that their egos and feelings won't be hurt.
Probably the best way to handle this kind of situation is to ask the opinion of the elderly first. Ask them what they want to happen and let them air their feelings so that you can be able to adjust your decisions with their needs and wants. Compromise is the key to handling sensitive situations such as this.
Perhaps the best kind of intervention would be the total intervention because this covers almost all the interventions available such as partial intervention, crisis intervention, legal intervention and financial intervention. Although choosing to have a professional opinion is one of the most popular choices these days, sometimes, it is advisable to have a hearty family opinion prevail rather than a professional one because professional opinions tend to be objective and unbiased.
Yes, even though professional opinions are preferred due to those two characteristics (unbiased and objective), some families feel that they will be better off if they are the ones who make decisions themselves. It doesn't matter if family opinions are biased and subjective because there are some situations when family opinions are better than professional opinions.
In the life of elderly people, there will come a time when they will have to stop driving because of the deterioration of their sense of sight and sense of hearing. This is one of the times when they will really feel sad and frustrated because they will feel like they have become useless individuals. The best way to handle this kind of awkward situation is by talking to them heart to heart and explaining to them that it is the reality, and there is no escaping from it.
Discuss to them the dangers if they will still be permitted to drive because they could end up in car accidents as well as harming other people. Perhaps the only thing that elderly people need is assurance that even though they cannot perform some activities anymore (such as driving), they are still important and they still hold an important role in society and in the family.
Getting old may seem like a lonely journey but it won't be so if there are friends and family that are ready to support and assure elderly people that they are loved and accepted no matter what. Practicing the right time of intervening will surely result in happy and strong family relations, no matter how great the age gap may be.
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