Providing Support: 5 Ways you can Help a Loved One in Need

Any kind of incident, whether it’s a car accident or an injury that occurs after a fall in the home, can mean that someone you love is unable to perform daily tasks for some time. With rest and following the doctor’s orders, the person can recover in most situations. During the recovery process, there are a few ways that you can provide support with the simplest tasks that one might take for granted.

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Preparing Meals

Cooking is often the last thing on the mind after someone is in a car accident or who has suffered any other kind of injury. You can go to the person’s home to prepare a few meals that can be put in the refrigerator or freezer and heated later. Another option is to get a meal or two from a restaurant to take to the home. If the person doesn’t feel like eating, you need to at least make sure there are plenty of liquids in the home to prevent dehydration.

Cleaning

After a physical trauma, your loved one might not be able to get up to clean the home. Take a few hours during the week to sweep, mop, wash the clothes or wash the dishes so that the home stays clean. Make sure there are safety precautions in place to prevent falling as well.

Transportation

Driving might not be an option after the injury. You can help by taking the person to doctor’s appointments or to run errands in town. Simply getting out of the house can be a large step on the way to recovery instead of sitting inside the home all day. It’s also a way to ensure that the person gets to doctor’s appointments without missing them and getting the treatment that is needed.

Filing a Claim

If you’re loved one hasn’t considered it yet, visiting an attorney to find out about filing a personal injury claim can be a great idea. This can help to get money coming into the home and to help with medical bills. It’s definitely a good idea to spend some time doing research before you decide on an attorney to use for your claims. Most lawyers will give a free consultation, and going with your loved one to that type of visit can help provide them with an objective opinion. Most attorney’s also have web pages these days, like this one for Blomberg Benson & Garrett, which can be a good way to get information if your loved one has limited mobility. Remember to take your time and be thorough because the lawyer you choose to work with will have a major impact on the outcome of your claim.

Offering Emotional Support

When someone is unable to work or do the same things in the home that were done before the physical trauma, the emotional state can be impacted. You can go to the home to talk with the person, play a game or just be there so that the person isn’t alone all day. Another option is to take the person to a community center to spend time with others who are the same age or to a fun event in town that the person might enjoy as long as there are safety precautions in place, such as a wheelchair or a walker.

Childcare

If there are children in the home, offer to help out by keeping the kids at your home or staying with the kids after school to make sure they get their homework done and that they are fed. Caring for the children can lift a huge weight off of your loved one as their well-being is often on the mind. Consider taking the kids to a park or to a local attraction so that the person can get some rest during the day or on the weekend as well.

Caring for someone after an injury can sometimes be difficult. You might not know the best way to help. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is perform the daily tasks that need to be done and be there as someone to talk to during the day.