How to help a relative or a friend who is really unwell
From ArticleWorld
To help a relative or a friend who is really unwell but not close by you need to keep your cool and not panic. If the person is far away you can only help by little thoughtful things that you can do for them from a distance. This is difficult because you would be worried over their health and its resultant problems but not able to do much from where you are. This also might make you feel guilty and unhappy. Since there is no use agonizing over things that you cannot change it would serve your purpose much more to concentrate over things that you can do to help him/ her.
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A few suggestions
- First and foremost, stop worrying. Cal them up and ask about their health over the phone. Listening to their voice will make you feel better.
- Buy a lot of cards (or make them yourself) and send one each day to the sick person. Let the cards be funny and full of life and love, do not make them too maudlin or else they might depress your loved one.
- Write them upbeat letters and send them books to read. The books need not be new but ones that you have read yourself and have really liked and know will be appreciated by the sick person.
- Send them a box filled with fun things that will pep them up. The box could contain comics, film or sport magazines, some tee shirts with silly messages on them, chocolates and wine and anything else that takes your fancy and would make the sick person happy.
- Send cushions, bedroom slippers and stuffed toys if you think that they would need to spend a lot of time in bed.
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Do’s
- Make sure that you keep sending gifts from time to time. Do not bunch them together. Let the sick person get a surprise every few days.
- You could request other friends and family members to do the same thing that you are doing. Let everyone rally round and uplift the spirit of the loved one.
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Don’ts
- Do not send things that they will not be able to use.
- Don’t expect them to thank you by the next mail or telephone. A sick person’s time and energy goes into handling crisis and dealing with everyday problems.