Pin One of the most common arguments between aging parents and their adult children is about whether or not the aging parent should be listening to their advice. Why won’t your aging parent listen? No one wants to think about their parents getting old and frail. But the reality is, sooner or later, all of us will have to deal with our parents’ aging process. For adult children of aging parents, this can be a difficult time. You may feel like you’re losing your parents little by little as they become more and more dependent on you. One of the biggest challenges can be getting your parents to listen to you and heed your advice. Here are some tips for how to communicate with your aging parents and get them to listen to you. As our parents age, it’s natural for us to want to do everything we can to make their lives easier. But what happens when they don’t want to listen to our advice? Whether it’s refusing to give up driving or trying to live alone despite being diagnosed with dementia, it can be frustrating and overwhelming trying to get our aging parents to accept help. It’s a question we all face at some point: why won’t our aging parents listen to us? We may feel like we’re the only ones who can see what’s happening, and that they’re heading for disaster if they don’t change their ways. But it seems like no matter how many times we try to talk to them, they just don’t want to listen. So, what can you do? If you would like some assistance deciding what the issues or concerns might be go ahead and request our checklist 11 Signs Your Aging Parent May Need Help in the Home. You can get that HERE. In this post, we’ll explore some common reasons why aging parents resist help and offer some tips on how best to approach the situation. What are some possible reasons your parents aren’t listening to you? It can be frustrating when aging parents won’t listen to their adult children, especially when it comes to advice about their health. There are a few possible explanations for this behavior. First, aging parents may not want to admit that they’re getting older and need help. They may be used to being the ones in charge and providing care for their children, so it can be difficult for them to accept that the roles have reversed.  Your aging parent feels like they know more than the adult child. They’ve been alive longer, they’ve made more mistakes, and they feel like they’ve learned from those mistakes. Additionally, aging parents may be reluctant to listen to their children because they don’t want to seem like a burden. They may feel like they’re already causing enough problems and don’t want to add to them by admitting that they need help. The aging parent doesn’t want to admit that they need help. They’re used to being independent and self-sufficient, and asking for help goes against everything they’re used to. They think of their child as being busy with their own life, and they don’t want to add to that stress. In some cases, the aging parent might also be embarrassed about their current situation and they don’t want their child to see them as weak. They may also be experiencing age-related hearing loss, making it difficult for them to understand what you’re saying. Additionally, aging can lead to cognitive decline, making it hard for your parents to process information and make decisions. If your aging parents are exhibiting these behaviors, it’s important to be patient and try to work with them instead of against them. Try speaking slowly and clearly, and avoid using jargon or technical terms. You may also want to consider bringing in a third party, such as a doctor or aging services professional, to help mediate the situation. Finally, some aging parents simply refuse to listen because they don’t want to change their habits or routine. They may not be willing to try new things, even if it’s for their own good. Whatever the reason, it can be challenging to get aging parents to listen. However, it’s important to keep trying, as eventually, they may come around. It’s important to remember that aging parents are still adults, and they have a right to make their own decisions, even if those decisions aren’t always wise. How can you get them to start listening to you more effectively? Aging parents sometimes have a difficult time accepting that their children are now adults. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that you were the one who needed their guidance and wisdom. But now the roles are reversed, and you find yourself in the position of having to convince your aging parents to start listening to you. Here are a few tips that may help: First, try to have a conversation when both of you are calm and relaxed. Starting from a place of anger or frustration is likely to only make things worse. They’re likely to tune out if you’re rambling or if they don’t understand what you’re saying. So make sure you’re getting your point across in a way that’s easy for them to understand. Try to have a conversation when they’re in a good mood. If they’re tired or stressed, they’re less likely to be open to what you have to say. Another way to get your aging parents to start listening to you is to be respectful. If you’re disrespectful, they’re not going to want to listen to you. They’ll see you as being ungrateful and unappreciative, and they’ll tune you out. So make sure you’re showing them the respect they deserve, even if you don’t agree with them. Second, try to avoid making ultimatums or issuing threats. Instead, calmly explain why their actions are causing problems. A third way to get your aging parents to start listening to you is persistence. 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