How to Care For a Sick Friend

When your friend falls ill, it can be hard to know what to say or do to help. While you want to do everything possible to aid them and provide assistance, you don’t want to overdo things or say things that could exacerbate the situation.

Visit loved ones with flowers or tea, send a card or letter, and consider setting up a CaringBridge to share appointments or offer support.

Offer to take care of their kids or pets.

Sick people often put off taking care of themselves or their animals until it becomes urgent, giving you and your friend some much-needed peace of mind and relaxation. By offering to do these tasks for them, it could provide much-needed peace of mind and ease for both of you.

Small tasks like laundry or grocery shopping may be too much for someone who is sick. Help your friend by taking on these responsibilities so she can focus on getting better.

Many mobile apps and phone trees allow people to create support teams that offer meal delivery, babysitting time, child transportation services and more. Determine whether your friend would be open to joining one, considering their needs as you go along. If they prefer not being part of such groups or wish for alone time instead, respect that decision but check in periodically to assess their wellbeing or evaluate any changes in needs.

Offer to babysit.

Experts advise assembling a group of friends who want to assist, then creating a caregiving plan based on each friend’s abilities and schedules. Caregiving tasks could range from providing meals or running errands, but could also include driving them to doctor’s appointments, cleaning house or mowing the lawn.

An individual suffering from illness might feel lonely when their caregiver is away all day at work. Offer to spend some time with them so they can run errands, get massages or simply have some alone time.

Your friend might be experiencing boredom inside, so consider sending some light reading material like magazines or cards as part of a care package.

Offer to cook.

If your friend is dealing with chronic illness, long wait times at appointments and other stressful circumstances may make cooking impossible. Consider offering to assist by organizing meals on a schedule or finding others willing to pitch in by using mobile apps to find volunteer helpers.

Even a simple meal can mean so much to someone who’s sick. If they live nearby, invite them over for lunch together so you can share an enjoyable dining experience together and build bonds together.

If you are planning to cook for your sick friend, be sure to include all of their condiments and supplies they might require. Not only will this show that you care about their wellbeing but will give an opportunity for two-way dialogue about what may be going on.

Offer to clean.

Sick friends may not wish to do the cleaning themselves, so offer to take on this responsibility on their behalf. Doing it will give them a break while also making their home cleaner. Clean high-touch items regularly such as doorknobs, light switches, toilets, counters, tabletops phones and keyboards in order to prevent the spread of germs; for maximum effectiveness the CDC suggests using either an EPA registered disinfectant or homemade bleach solution as these will help control spread.

Create a care package packed with delicious, healthful food and beverages for a sick friend or relative. Our selection of heat-and-eat meals, soothing tea with honey, hydrating sports drinks and delicious sweet and savory snacks will bring comfort.

Offer to run errands.

Homebound friends often find simple tasks such as grocery shopping or running errands to be daunting challenges; having assistance can go a long way toward providing some sense of normalcy again.

Make a list of errands your friend needs run, then offer to do them on a regular basis as an act of service and give your friend something exciting to anticipate! Doing this may provide much-needed respite from everyday errands while giving him or her something fun and unexpected to look forward to.

Homebound friends may miss out on community events and socialization opportunities, so offer to accompany them and bring something for them to share – this could provide the perfect chance to catch up and discuss something other than illness! Include a card saying, “Thinking of you” or include an encouraging note as part of this gesture.

Offer to go to appointments.

If your friend is an illness patient, consider accompanying them to medical team appointments so as to assist them with communication and planning of care, giving your friend a sense of purpose while giving their spouse or caregivers time off.

Keep in mind that those living with an illness still want to enjoy life; don’t focus solely on discussing it all of the time. Engage them in discussions or activities they enjoy together instead.

If your friend’s partner or spouse is the primary caregiver, you could help by creating a CaringBridge website to post health updates and receive well wishes from friends and family members. Furthermore, CaringBridge allows for daily support tasks like meal trains or transportation assistance coordination.

Offer to take a day off.

Organising a team of supportive friends and family to assist a sick friend often feels overwhelming. Offering to run errands, make nutritious meals (with careful consideration for any special diets), clean the house or cut grass can all help relieve some pressure off them. Also helpful would be having someone drive them to medical appointments; especially at first when their doctor may require multiple visits per week.

Avoid talking exclusively about their illness unless they want to, and try to keep conversations light-hearted and fun. Checking in regularly even just with a quick “thinking of you” text or an unexpected card or note can go a long way toward supporting their recovery process.