Alex
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2016
- Messages
- 779
- Reaction score
- 211
Currently I'm helping to look after my parents, and also an elderly neighbor, and while patience isn't my strongest virtue, I do try.
There's a fine line between helping, being patient, and also taking control. I'm trying to find that balance. Right now the neighbor asked if I could go with her to town as she had a meeting with citizens advice and needed help crossing the road and things as she uses a walker or wheelchair. I said yes, and now she says she may get a lift from a friend instead, but the friend may drop her off or may stay with her. She doesn't know as the friend hasn't said
While I am happy to help, I did have to give her a deadline to decide if she wanted help or not, because I have other things to do and also to help my dad. I have to give her some leeway as she has MS too, but finding that balance is hard. I left thinking maybe I was a bit too direct, but I felt I needed to let her know that because while elderly people are retired and may not have to think about too many other things, most of us do.
I think some people are better at coping with elderly people than others, or maybe it's something we all need to learn at some point?
There's a fine line between helping, being patient, and also taking control. I'm trying to find that balance. Right now the neighbor asked if I could go with her to town as she had a meeting with citizens advice and needed help crossing the road and things as she uses a walker or wheelchair. I said yes, and now she says she may get a lift from a friend instead, but the friend may drop her off or may stay with her. She doesn't know as the friend hasn't said
While I am happy to help, I did have to give her a deadline to decide if she wanted help or not, because I have other things to do and also to help my dad. I have to give her some leeway as she has MS too, but finding that balance is hard. I left thinking maybe I was a bit too direct, but I felt I needed to let her know that because while elderly people are retired and may not have to think about too many other things, most of us do.
I think some people are better at coping with elderly people than others, or maybe it's something we all need to learn at some point?