Originally Posted by grannynurse FNP student
I am wondering if your non-compliant relatives are non-compliant because they have seen all the complications and feel they have no control? They have given up because of what they have seen? No, you cannot make someone comply but you should explore all the reasons for their non-compliance and attempt to work with them. And by work with them, I do not mean scold, constantly point out the failures, etc, etc, but give them positive feedback no matter how small.
Grannynurse

It's hard to provide positive feedback to someone, who absolutley will not try to make any improvements in thier diet/lifestyle/etc. My father is a prime example. He will not go to any diabetic education classes, will not do fingersticks/ will not follow a diabetic diet. He has seen what the disease did to my grandmother, who had a stroke and heart attack, due to non-compliance.
Part of his non compliance is due to culture. He comes from a culture that emphasis "machismo" and he doesn't like being told what to do. He has been in the hospital numerous times, and has been "fired" by several doctors, because he will not comply. The docs have told him that they will be more than happy to see him again, once he decides he is going to do the needed changes.
I can not make him or any of my other relatives "change", if they don't want to. I also will not feed into the co-dependency issues that are a part of my family. My father and other relatives have to take responsibility for thier actions/non-actions, and ultimately, they will pay for the consequences.