This posting may resonate with those readers who have loved ones - not necessarily just family members - who, for one reason or another (some logical, some illogical), are unwilling to make decisions that would benefit either their health, well-being, or both. These loved ones are quite frustrating to those who care about them, presenting the vexing issue of how much to press and - ultimately - annoy.
What is it that makes people refuse to do what is best for themselves? In some cases, they are truly maintaining a situation that is both unsuitable and dangerous, yet the stubbornness sets in, becomes deep-seated and unfathomable to those watching. Since these are adults, with seeming adequate cognitive abilities, the situation is doubly confounded. You cannot hog-tie a loved one and you cannot symbolically beat logic into a fellow human being. The logic is either present or not present. Period. You can talk, nudge, cajole, whine, browbeat, threaten, or plead until you are the proverbial blue-in-the-face and, more than likely, the person to whom you were talking, nudging, cajoling, whining, browbeating, threatening, or pleading will not have changed his or her mind one iota.
This issue is no stranger to many families and age doesn't seem to be the defining factor, either. I know numerous individuals who are facing this issue with loved ones and all share the same storyline: Fear for the loved one.
I'm going to paraphrase an old adage: You can lead a horse to water, but you just cannot shove the horse's head into the trough. If the horse don't want to drink, there is nothing you can do about it.
Ancora imparo
