Dealing with a crisis is part of my daily life! I often speak with distraught family members about the challenges they are facing with their senior loved ones, many times clients are afraid of making the wrong senior living or caregiving choice.
When Linda called me she was beside herself. She was overwhelmed with emotion and couldn’t make a decision regarding what to do next for her husband John’s care. John was refusing to participate in physical therapy so that he could get strong and go home.
When I met John I could see how defeated he was, he had really given up. But as we talked I got him to think about his time as a Marine in Vietnam and to remember the tough times he had to push through. I reminded John of the hero in him and that is what he needed to jump start his rehab.
John worked hard for three weeks and at the end, he was at home. He is truly an exceptional man. But here’s the thing, everyone has the potential to be exceptional, to be the hero of their story, but sometimes they just need a reminder of how strong they truly are.
What John did to succeed:
1. He got positive. He saw himself as that 20-year-old Marine instead of a tired old man.
2. He got physical. He started moving his body.
3. He didn’t quit.
We can all learn from John.
David
My Senior Navigator helps families find local Senior living options and in-home caregivers in San Luis Obispo County.
