Older adults are at higher risk of developing more severe COVID-19. However, unfortunately, many elderly individuals do not take social distance and hygiene directives seriously.
Since families are not happy with this situation and children are angry with them, young people have serious arguments about their parents not following the rules.
If your family or elders are resisting following the rules regarding coronavirus precautions, here are five tips to communicate with them effectively and respectfully.
Make Sure You're the Right Person for This Conversation
Due to the nature of the child-parent relationship, children, regardless of age, may not be the right people to tell their parents about habits that need to be changed regarding the coronavirus.
Older people sometimes see their adult children as still little children. If this is the case, you can establish this communication by reaching out to someone your family trusts and will listen to.
Try to reach individuals that your family trusts, such as a family friend, sibling or clergyman, who will comfort them.
Reflect Love, Not Control
Reflect that the basis of your communication and warning them and asking them to change their behavior is your love for them and your desire to see them for many years to come. Since this conversation is likely to feel like it stems from a desire for control rather than love, you should reflect well that the issue is based on love, not control.
Ask Lots of Questions
What happens with your parents who don't follow instructions? Any communication you have should start with respect and curiosity. Fairness and generosity are of no use in this matter. No matter how right the adult child is, families are not very impressed by this.
Ask questions and listen to their answers to understand the reasons behind their behavior. Once you hear exactly where they are, show them you understand by repeating it verbally to them.
Sometimes finding people's motivations helps change their behavior. Then they change their own behavior in a way that suits them, not in the way the child tells them to do. You can help them find ways to change their behavior.
Share Information from Trustworthy Sources
Find out where your parents get their information. In many families, older generations can follow sources who do not take the epidemic seriously and say that quarantine and social distancing are unnecessary.
Make sure your family is getting accurate, science-based data.
Just Accept That You Can Control
Even if your parents do not heed your warnings to protect themselves from COVID-19, respect, love and support them.
A sense of connectedness is for the elderly at this time. are very basic and so show them new ways to stick with it.
Why Don't Some Older People Take the Coronavirus Seriously?
Current older generations have survived major threats in their lifetimes: nuclear Possibility of attacks, cold war, coups and much more.
This generation, which went through times full of anxiety, stressful situations and the possibility of humanity's extinction, saw that the worst scenario for each of these never came true. That's why they think nothing will happen now.
In addition, these experiences have made them think that they have the right to do whatever they want as long as their bodies allow it.
Currently, many elderly people are still healthy, fit and healthy. Since he is active, he does not consider himself old and therefore does not think that his risk will be high even if he comes into contact with COVID-19.
Some do not care much about their chronological age and focus only on how fit they are and how well they feel. They do not consider themselves to be at high risk.
It is also understandable that many people, especially older individuals, are resistant to giving up their daily activities to stay indoors.
People like their routines, and older people in particular like them more. They love it very much. Routine creates a feeling of comfort and normality.
When we ask them to change their routine, that is, to practice social distancing, this creates discomfort and anxiety.
This causes them to weigh two things in their minds that will seriously affect their quality of life. happens: exposure to the virus staying inside to reduce the risk and feeling bad about going out of routine.
The potentially negative consequences of quarantine do not necessarily have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of older individuals.
COVID-19. There is a risk of exposure to , but on the other hand, there is the increased feeling of isolation and loneliness, which is especially common among retirees. Loneliness puts them at higher risk for mental illnesses such as depression and suicide.
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