Nancy Reagan famously exhorted people to say “no” to the temptation of illicit drugs. Her failure to understand the human condition and its inherent bias to resist well-meaning admonitions is shared by many. Even our loved ones fail to appreciate how predictably irrational we may be when receiving advice.
We tell our children NO TV until they finish their homework. NO sleepovers, NO staying out past 11, NO going to parties where alcohol may appear or where the parents are not “in loco.” Then the shoe moves to the other foot, where we are parents telling our parents what NOT to do. That’s when it gets tricky.
Imagine a 55-year old working mother of 3 who is time impoverished. She is troubled by her 78-year old Mother’s malaise which seemed to coincide with her 82-year old father’s death. Well-intentioned suggestions on how to turn the page and regain a positive attitude are spurned by her mother. Any and all advice on nutrition, exercise, social interaction, sleep (in other words, the pillars of good health) are rebuffed.
Essentially, the grandmother in this situation is like a bank robber holding two dozen people at gunpoint, without a clear plan of action.
What skilled negotiators understand about reducing the anxiety and stress in a hostage situation has been learned and taught for many years. Earn trust before you offer advice. When your party is willing to listen to you, you can then move ahead with advice.
We at Healthrageous understand this dilemma implicitly. Our experience comes from serving thousands of seniors who believe their seven or eight decades on Earth embolden them to reject advice and to live the way they want to live, no matter how self-destructive it may be.
So rather than preaching about what to eat and what not to eat; or urging less alcohol and no more cigarettes, we offer a solution that is easy to implement and better for all: Made Easy Meals. Send a box to your cranky parent and the doors of communication are likely to swing wide open. Every meal is portion controlled, low sodium, no artificial sugar, high fiber and high protein. Just pop a Healthrageous meal in the microwave and then start eating. Every meal from a 14-meal weekly order meets every heart disease, hypertension or Type 2 Diabetes nutritional goal. When trying to modify behaviors, win trust and make it easy to reform.
To learn more on how Healthrageous’ #MadeEasyMeals can help Seniors positively impact their health, CLICK HERE.
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