Mistake #10: Not Asking Family and Friends for Help
The Problem:
Seniors are frequently reluctant to ask for help from family and friends. The major reasons they avoid asking for help is a desire not to be a burden on loved ones and fear that if they can’t do everything on their own, they will end up in a nursing home. Failure to ask for help when needed usually results in small problems becoming larger and ultimately can lead to major health issues that could have been easily resolved earlier. For example, falling and breaking a hip while shoveling an icy drive is much less desirable than asking a son or grandson to shovel the driveway.
The Solution:
Older adults should take a deep breath and admit when they could use some help. This may include asking friends, family members, or professionals such as geriatric care managers, to help them with any health or household issues they can’t safely deal with alone. This can include asking for a ride to their doctor’s appointments, needing a little help maintaining their home or other such daily needs. By getting a little bit of help early on, seniors can avoid small problems from becoming catastrophes that almost guarantee a poor outcome.
