Can anyone explain stubborness to help themselves/make life easier

It is really frustrating. It can’t be done every two minutes but when I occasionally let my frustration show it did sometimes cause a change.

I think it’s a Man Thing. You spend all your life being a strong breadwinner. When that’s obviously not the case, denial is the solution. Accepting help means admitting decline.

Maybe reframing will help? Get this ultra chair and it’ll keep your muscles strong?

My dad is very similar. He will be 90 this year. He is very frail, does have health issues, but will hold off seeing a doctor for as long as possible.
He refuses any help. Will only now use a stick to get around as his balance is really bad. He really could do with a walker, but absolutely refuses to use one! He will sometimes use my mum's walker, but he doesn't see that as him needing one, it's just "borrowing" mum's!

He definitely sees it as a weakness to ask for any help. He also hates getting old and won't acknowledge that he actually is.

It’s difficult to generalise of course because everyone is different, but in my experience in at least one case it was because she liked the drama and attention gained from struggling. The struggles kind of gave a focus to life and a sense of identity - ‘I am someone having a hard time struggling with [whatever it is]’.

Making sensible adjustments would have removed this.

Maybe worth considering the type of attention your father is getting, and whether this revolves around the difficulties that would be ameliorated by the adjustments - it could be that at some level he is actually motivated by this not to help himself. People of all ages value the attention & concern of others.

I think it is because they see needing help / assistance as a weakness. Maybe due to their age and when they grew up as well? Not sure, but I know others like it as well.

I think its difficult to embrace or accept things that remind one of becoming older/frail/less able than they once were.
Ive resisted wearing varifocals because I remember my parents having them and they remind me of being older! But a year after refusing them at the opticians I feel like they probably would make things easier... 😬 Ditto i dont want a shopping trolley....even though I accept i could carry more things more easily!

(I can sympathise though, I recommended a mobility scooter to an elderly relative who really struggled to walk, but liked to go out, and nearly got my head bitten off! )