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People who take care of elderly or chronically ill relatives often feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities and disconnected from friends and life.
Here’s what you can do to help:
Educate yourself. Find out about the disease or condition the sick person is suffering from. Ask the caregiver for suggestions on books to read. Your interest helps show your support.
Keep in touch. Email or call just to ask the caregiver how things are going—with him or her and with the person who’s sick.
Have an attentive ear. Give caregivers a chance to talk about themselves and their feelings.
Be specific about ways you can help. Look for ways you can provide help to the caregiver. Be specific about what you can do—like running to the store to pick up groceries.
Offer your time. Give the caregiver a break—even if it’s just for an hour—while you volunteer to sit with the person who is sick.