Every year my girls get older and so do I, what I sometimes tend to forget is that my parents are also getting older. Last year and continuing this year my Dad has had some health problems. He is a stubborn man who pretty much refuses to see a doctor which scares my step-mom and myself.
I want my Daddy to be around to really watch all his grand kids grow up – he has 14 total! If we can’t convince him to go to the doctor (believe me, we’re trying) I was thinking of getting him a medical alert system or something so if something happens and no one is around he can get the help he needs.
Do you have a parent that has medical problems but refuses to see a doctor? What do you do?
I love my Daddy but damn, why does he have to be so stubborn? I run to the doctor for even the smallest things probably more often than I should so I don’t understand when someone doesn’t want to see a doctor to find out what is causing so many health issues.
Disclosure: This is a partnered post. All opinions are mine.
Last Day! 
I worry about my dad every second of every day but he does go to the doc when he needs to. But being thousands of Miles away makes it hard! I would have a talk with him about what his grandkids would have to go through if something were to happen.
this is something that i worry about. right now my parents are ok, but i know this time will come and i fear it.
I hope y’all can convince him to go, we all make sure to have our checkups.
My mom is still kind of young, but I just know she has a little bit of stubborn in her though.
A medical alert is a good idea!
I try not to think about it. As an only child all of the responsibility for their care will fall on me. Hopefully that won’t happen until my kids are out of the house.
My mom doesn’t refuse, but she does put it off way longer than she should.
You know the old adage, “Doctor’s make the worst patients?” My mom is a nurse and so do nurses!
I hope he decides to go get checked out. It can be so stressful to the family when parents don’t take proper care of themselves– and it’s kind of ironic, that our parents tell US to take care of ourselves, but they don’t do the same..
We are dealing with this kind of issue with my in-laws right now, it is so frustrating! But they are adults, so there isn’t much you can do if they aren’t willing to help themselves
I only have my mom to worry about now (dad passed away in 2008). Thankfully she is still young and in good health.
Sigh..my parents passed away but I would do anything for them. It’s always good to take care of those who have taken care of you ! Kind of like repaying
I am always asking my parents about setting up a Long Term Care insurance plan but they aren’t as proactive as I am – I really hope we don’t need it!
My parents aren’t here yet but I plan on taking good care of them since they did me!
It’s so hard when they are so stubborn! I’m so sorry!
That is my dad to a T. He hates doctors and is always refusing to go.
I know how frustrating it can be. I’m always telling my mom she needs to see the doctor whenever she tells me she’s not feeling well, but she never does.
My parents live on the other side of the country. Wish they were closer.
Thanks for sharing. My mom isn’t getting any younger and sometimes it is smart to plan ahead.
Ugh, I think it’s just a guy thing in general. I’m sorry though and I hope he can find out what’s going on soon!
There isn’t much you can do, and boy they can be stubborn!
Thankfully my mother is in good health. My father passed away when I was 22. I’m so glad my mom always goes for her check ups.
I totally understand your frustration! It’s really tough too when the tide turns and it’s our turn now to take care of our parents. They don’t make it easy too!
They are both surprisingly okay after smoking for so many years. That’s what I keep bugging them about, stop smoking!
My dad is in pretty poor health – mostly due to his mismanagement of his diabetes. I am not looking forward to the next few years when his health really begins to break down…
My parents are getting older so thanks for sharing.
Understand completely. My mother in law’s health has been going downhill for years now. I hope it all works out for you.
My parents are older, but they see doctors regularly. My concern is mostly for when one of them passes. They have been inseparable for 47 years so far.
My mom is the same way.
Hopefully it’s a long time before I have to worry about this issue.
My dad was the same way, until my grandpa passed away. Then he saw the doctor regularly. While he had some health issues, he was on a couple of medications and doing well. No major issues, nothing we were worried about. My dad passed away VERY unexpectedly a year ago. I was with him just hours prior to receiving the phone call that he was gone, he seemed fine.. never complained of not feeling well. I was ALWAYS Daddy’s little girl, we were very close and I still struggle daily without my dad. Now my mom has been having some pretty serious health issues and I have spent the past 6 months terrified of losing my mom too. It is SO hard.
I think the only thing you can do is be open and honest with your dad, tell him you love him and want him around for a long time. Tell him you want to make memories of him with your kids (and all his grandkids). Ask him to see the doctor for a check up for you & the kids. Tell him your worries and concerns from your heart without pressuring or hounding, I know if my dad felt hounded or pushed he’d pretty much ignore anything that was being said lol.
My Dad is the same. He doesn’t like going to the doctors even when he is sick.
My Mom and Dad have a bit of an age gap, so she does the care taking for him. He’s a stubborn man and I don’t think I could get him to do anything.
My mom lives with me and I have a difficult time accepting all the issues she has. She has a pacemaker among many other items she deals with and to top it off, the government WILL NOT help her get healthcare.. It makes me so mad so I worry about her all the time!!!
I had to deal with this with my parents and my in-laws. Something about that generation. They just refuse to see a doctor!
Wow 14 grandkids?! That’s awesome! My dad only has my son. He is stubborn too & didn’t go to the doctor for over 20 years until he decided to get Lasik & they required a full physical. He had every test under the sun done & turns out he’s perfectly fine! I’m grateful, but he’s totally holding it over our heads since we pushed him to go to the dr for so long.
thats gonna be me and my husband! i love that you posted about this!
My dad almost never gets sick, but this past year, he’s has three surgeries and a lot of downtime from being sick. took us forever to get him to go in to the dr after the first time he needed surgery.. it was his appendix!!
He should really go. Not sure how you convince someone that is stubborn. I lost both my parents at a rather young age. My dad was 57 and mom was 60. Both heart trouble so he should get checked. Sometimes you just never know
I’m lucky in that my sister can bully my parents into going to the doctor.
Mine are getting up there, but so far can manage on their own.
Luckily my parents are still in good health and “young”, but I don’t take it for granted. I watched my mom take care of my grandma who got Alzheimer’s only in her 60s.
My mother was exhibiting early symptoms of Alzheimer’s. As they got worse I made it my responsibility and got her an appointment with a neurologist. I took her to her first appointment. She was very angry with me, but I loved her more than her anger could stop me. I figured I wanted her with me even if it meant she was angry, instead of her being happy and dead.
My parents are still fairly young so I don’t have to worry about this yet.