How to Have a Successful Family Meeting about Your Elderly Loved One’s Health
Caregiver in Bayside NY
From time to time, it makes sense to have family meetings to talk about your elderly loved one’s health and her care plan and as her family caregiver, you’ll need to lead them. These meetings can be highly effective for everyone involved if you plan them properly.
Do What You Can to Get Everyone in the Same Room
Getting everyone into the same room isn’t always easy or feasible to do, but it makes for a much more effective family meeting if you can manage it. With the impressive array of technology available, though, you can certainly hold videoconferences easily enough if there are family members who can’t make it. Compile minutes for family members to read later.
Go Over Priorities First
Even if you have quite a bit of time set aside for your meeting, no one has unlimited amounts of time to devote, so it’s important to get the priorities out of the way. That way, if someone needs to leave, you’ve covered the most important information at the top of the meeting. As the meeting goes on, you can address smaller issues farther down the agenda.
Match up Family Members with Tasks Needing to Be Done
One of the biggest priorities for you is going to be lining up help for you and for your elderly loved one. Before the meeting, give thought to what you need help with and who in the list of attendees would be best able to help you with those tasks. Ask for the help that you need without expecting anything in return. If the help is available, that’s wonderful. If not, you can find it elsewhere.
Communicate Openly without Making Accusations
While you’re talking with your family members, keep in mind that how you communicate can make a tremendous difference in how your words are received. Anything that can come across as an accusation or that can cause someone to become defensive may not be the best phrasing that you can use. Instead, use “I” statements and avoid words like, “always” or “never.”
Once your family members start to understand that family meetings don’t have to be difficult, you’ll find them much more effective.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Bayside, NY, please contact the caring staff at Family First Home Companions. Serving all of Long Island. Call today: (631) 319-3961
Jennifer has specialized training in Alzheimer’s disease through the Long Island Alzheimer’s Association and the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.She also volunteered her time with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center of Long Island for 3 years by providing cognitive stimulation to an Alzheimer’s patient group.
Jennifer educates the community about elder care and speaks to caregiver support groups, senior centers, and at professional organizations.Topics include home safety, effective strategies for family caregiving, elder care planning, and awareness about elder abuse.
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