Lifestyle S E N I O R
LIVING
The Value of Asking for Help Written by D A N A P E V E L E R . Executive Director of Senior Living – Leisure Living Communities
F
all has always been my favorite
“Love, Mom.”
count on you to let them know when help
season of the year! Yes, I love the
Why is it that we’ll phone our family
is needed. I know of someone who went
colors, but that’s not why! Yes, I
and ask for a recipe, but we won’t call
without lights in her kitchen for months
love the crisp clear mornings, but that’s
and ask them for help?
The older we
because she was too frightened to tell
not why! I adore hayrides, fire pits, and
get, it seems the less we ask. If we are
her children she needed someone to help
weenie roasts, but that’s not why! I LOVE
going to successfully navigate the aging
change them. She was fearful they would
all my well-used, over-sized sweaters
years, we simply must learn to ask for
think she shouldn’t be alone anymore
filled with memories – and those aren’t
the help we need. When we were young,
and try to convince her to move.
even why! It’s the soup!
we didn’t hesitate to ask for help. One of
lack of lighting was a fall risk! She was
Don’t get me wrong, I still eat soup all
my grandson’s first phrases was, “help,
actually less independent by having poor
summer long – and dare anybody to tell
please.” Why are we so reluctant? It’s
lighting than had she just asked for the
me just because it’s 100 degrees outside
likely because we don’t want to appear
help.
and humidity is 85% that soup is the
helpless. We don’t want to risk our family
wrong choice. It’s making a big pot of
thinking we can’t live independently
something we can all learn to master.
potato soup using Mom’s recipe. A recipe
anymore, or maybe we just don’t want to
It doesn’t have to be that we only ask
stained from spills, has ingredients
be a burden to others.
our loved ones, though. Can’t get down
crossed out, and portions added over the
Realize, though, that it is a gift of
on the floor anymore to clean out your
years – an emailed recipe that ends in
peace of mind when they know they can
cabinets, scrub your tub, clean your
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Owensboro Living S E P T E M B E R / / O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1
The
Knowing when to ask for help is
