Adjusting Your Approach: 7 Things You Can Do When Dealing With a Stubborn Senior
Everyone knows that a senior can get stubborn and frustrating. This is one of the most common problems people have with seniors. Luckily there are steps you can take to deal with senior stubbornness. Seniors need to be approached in certain ways and dealt with using certain methods. Here are seven things you can do when dealing with a stubborn senior.
Understand Why They are Acting the Way They Are
Understanding the senior you are speaking to is crucial. You will have to understand why the senior you are speaking to is being stubborn so you can understand how to reach them. You will be able to come up with different approaches after realizing why the senior is acting stubborn. Plenty of seniors struggle from memory loss and depression, and this is most likely the root of their stubbornness. If you can somehow demonstrate empathy towards the senior, it may make it easier to communicate with them. Go to CDS for more help.
Accept the Situation
Sometimes accepting the situation is all you can do. Some seniors are beyond help. This is the point where you give up and stop trying to reason with them. Nagging and insisting will not result in cooperation. Staying calm and giving up will be much better in the long run. Leaving the senior alone will result in much less stress for both of you.
Save it For Another Time
This is different than giving up altogether. When talking to seniors, you must pick and choose your battles, as you cannot win them all. Seniors are much more likely to take your concerns seriously if you do not bother them all the time. Nagging will not help. You must space out your approaches in hopes to keep the seniors’ attention.
Do not get Mad at Yourself
It is very easy to get frustrated at yourself when a senior is not cooperating with you. Getting angry at yourself will only make matters worse. Depending on what the situation may be about, your frustration should be the problem. The person you are conversing with may pick up on your frustration and get frustrated themselves. You must stay calm to keep the situation calm, that will make it better for everyone.
Treat Them Like Adults
Seniors often get frustrated when they are treated old. Some seniors hate being catered to and just want to be treated like normal adults. Sometimes the reason you are having problems communicating with a senior may be because you’re treating them unlike you would a normal adult. The best thing you can do is communicate with them like you would any other person.
Bring Up Loved Ones
If you are trying to get them to do something and they will not cooperate, mention other loved ones. Using other people as motivation may make it easier to communicate with a senior.
Plan Ahead
If you already know you have a frustrating conversation in your future, plan for it. Think about your approach and remember to treat them like an adult, not a senior. Consider previous conversations you may have had and think about what you could have done better.
Conversations with seniors can be quite stressful, so it is best to remember these steps to make your future conversations easier.
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