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6 Ways to Help Someone With a Chronic Health Condition
Chronic health conditions can be hard on anyone, but they can be especially tough on caregivers when they just don’t know what to say or do. Here are six ways to help a loved one with a chronic health condition, presented by the Vancouver Home Health Care Agency.
Ask How You Can Help
If you are unsure about what you can do for them, ask them how you can help them before you start. They may want you to do something specific like cook a healthy meal or drive them to and from important doctor’s appointments, but they may also want you to just spend time with them. Asking before doing is often the best way to go.
Make Home Modifications
If your loved one has mobility issues or works from their home due to a chronic condition, helping them make modifications to their home can be a huge weight off their shoulders. For example, you could help them design a stress-free, intuitive home office by helping them design a storage system for their digital and paper records. Creating a folder system together can be a great way to get them organized. Also, remember to invest in quality lighting systems for your loved one’s home, such as dimmer switches.
Assist With Planning
There is always planning involved when managing a chronic health condition. Doctors’ appointments, check-ups, treatments, talking with insurance agents if there are any claim problems, and prescribed medications all require planning. By helping them plan, you can help lighten their load.
Study Your Loved One’s Condition
If you want to be able to help your loved one with a medical condition, it’s important to learn as much as you can about it. There are many ways to learn about medical conditions, and you can find information on many of them online. One way to learn is to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Online degree programs make it easy to earn a degree while still working full-time or tending to family obligations. Make sure the online school you choose is accredited and that it offers competitive tuition rates.
Be a Joyful Presence
Sometimes, being a joyful presence is all that is needed. If your loved one is getting discouraged, or feels like they are fighting a losing battle, be there for them. Let them know that you are there for them and that there is hope. Being around someone positive can be just what they need.
Smile
Smiling is one of the most powerful things we can do. Smiling is easy, and it can have a huge impact on a person with a chronic health condition. A smile can make a person feel like they are not fighting the battle by themselves. So, smile at your loved one often.
Take Care of Yourself
All in all, make sure to take care of yourself by exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep. This will give you the energy you need to be strong support for your loved one whenever they need you to cook or just need a friendly face.
The Vancouver Home Health Care Agency assists seniors, adults, and children with the care they need and deserve. Call (360) 975-7070 today to learn all about us.
At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, caring and compassion is our business…