It's never easy to accept the fact that elderly loved ones in our lives may no longer be capable of taking care of themselves, and they may require outside assistance. This concept is even harder for the seniors themselves to accept, sometimes to the point that they actively refuse to accept or even look for help.

Seniors refuse outside care for a wide variety of reasons. They desire to maintain their independence, do not want to have a stranger in their home and do not want to leave their homes for an assisted care facility are only a few examples. It's unfortunate, but sometimes the options of having in-home care or even moving to assisted living are the only safe options for our senior loved ones.

For many people, it's very difficult to tell parents what to do, and we can't legally force them to do anything they don't want to do. The best course of action is to sit down and discuss concerns with the seniors and their situations and offer them choices in how to proceed with the situation (i.e., in-home care, assisted living or moving in with a loved one).

Sometimes it is best to start out finding them limited assistance with small things like errands to ease them into the idea of outside help. Additionally, offering options is essentially helping the seniors maintain their sense of independence and self-determination. Have them actively participate in the process of finding the best course of action, and always be sure to hear their side of things.

However, if you are continually finding difficulty in getting through to your loved one regarding accepting outside care, it may be wise to get a doctor involved to help them further understand the situation.

It's imperative to assure your loved ones that putting them into assisted living or a similar situation should not be seen as an abandonment and that you'll visit them often. It's also important to visit frequently to ensure that the facilities or assistants are taking proper care of your loved ones.

If the terribly unfortunate occurrence comes to pass that your loved one has been subject to nursing home abuse or neglect, contact the law offices of Hupy and Abraham at 800-800-5678, or online at hupy.com immediately to discuss possible legal action.

For more information visit www.hupy.com