At first, Felice didn’t want a home care worker to come into her house. But here’s what convinced this spunky lady to do so.

In the video above, which has garnered 13,000 views, Felice explains how her family at first thought that a caregiver would be a good idea. But she did not like that idea. “No, I was alone. I didn’t want anybody,” she firmly replied.

But then her caretaker started coming every day. After a while, Felice began to look forward to the visits. She recalls with a chuckle that she would say, “Where are we going today?”

Felice’s story is not unique. Many seniors are reluctant to accept a caretaker coming to their home to help them in their activities of daily living. And yet if they are somehow convinced of its benefits, they often acquiesce.

Some reasons why the elderly are reluctant to accept a caregiver:

• Fear of a non-family caregiver.
• Dread over losing their independence.
• Lack of trust of a professional, even when qualified.

Others Struggle, Too

Jacqueline Marcell, who was a family caregiver for her parents and author of Elder Rage, recalls how she struggled with her father for 11 years to accept a caregiver into his home to help care for her mother. She eventually convinced her father to go to a neurologist who specialized in dementia. Both parents were diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s.

Her father was then willing to accept a fluid and nutrition plan, and accept two wonderful live-in caregivers into the home.