When you have a chronically ill friend, you may want to help them but just aren’t sure what you can do to make their life easier. Oftentimes, they may not want to ask for help, so it’s best to take the initiative and do something that will be beneficial for them. If you aren’t sure what to do, here are six key ways that you can help a chronically ill friend around the house.
1- Organize the Cabinets
For those with certain types of illnesses, they may struggle with keeping their cabinets organized. You can help them by going through their cabinets to inventory them and discard items that are past their expiration date.
2- Mop the Floors
Mopping floors can be a struggle for many individuals who have chronic illnesses. You can remove this burden by mopping the floors for them. Just make sure you find out when the best time to do so would be so that you don’t inconvenience them.
3- Stock the Freezer With Meals
It’s not uncommon for those with chronic illnesses to struggle to cook for themselves. If you like to cook, then you can easily help them by stocking their freezer full of meals. Ask them what types of meals they’ve been craving but haven’t been able to make for themselves lately. They will very much appreciate having the ability to heat up a meal on a day when they have been struggling.
4- Do Yard Work
One of the most common things that chronically ill people struggle with is keeping up with their yard. Yark work can be physically draining, but especially for those with a medical condition. Cutting their lawn, weeding their garden, and raking leaves are all tasks that you can complete for them in as little as an afternoon.
5- Clean the Bathroom
There’s a lot of work that goes into keeping a bathroom clean. Things like scrubbing the toilet, wiping down the sink and shower, and sweeping the floor may be difficult for your chronically ill friend to do. If you are looking to do something to help them around the house, they will very much appreciate you cleaning their bathroom for them.
6- Make Their Bed
Who doesn’t like to crawl into a bed that’s been freshly made each night? While making a bed may only take most individuals a few minutes to do, your chronically ill friend might struggle with this. If you live nearby or see your friend often, consider stopping by to make their bed several times a week and wash their bed linens on a weekly basis.
While your friend may struggle with the symptoms and limitations that come with having a chronic illness, you can help them by doing some things around the house. Not only will be be able to do some things for them that they may struggle with, but you will get to spend time with your friend as well. Everyone needs help at some point in their lives, and this is just a few ideas on how you can help your friend.
