Has anyone had to handle speaking in a foreign language in front of others? Mother is 92 and lived in this country for 50 years and can speak English, but she speaks in her original language when the caregivers are in the room. Usually she complains about something they did. She says they are mad at her because she insists that my father eat. This has been a longstanding problem. She tells the caregivers to feed him when he is not ready to eat. (Father is bedbound and has dementia.) He usually gets angry and knocks the food away. He will come around eventually. But mother is so intense about him eating that the caregivers just try to appease her. Both 90+ parents are in my house and every day is a struggle with one issue or another. However, I don't like it when she talks in her foreign language to me in front of the caregivers. How should I approach her to talk in English? My mother is a very sensitive person and anything I say she will interpret as a criticism of her. I have to tread lightly. Any suggestions?
You could try using a "theraputic fib" and whisper to your Mom you found out one of the caregivers can understand her when she [Mom] speaks in her native language because the root language is very similar.
In your situation, I would simply answer mom in English. She speaks and understand English. You don't have to go out of your way to restate what mom had said, just respond in English. With my MIL, we always speak in Chinese, but she doesn't "speak" English that I know of other than simple phrases.
I will also say that I am around many different languages and I am not offended when people chat in their native language.