by Sharon Merhalski

What Can I Do To Ease Some of the Burden For Ill People?

Question: Tonight our church had service at the hospital  where I work. What a ministry! I met several of the patients that I only knew from typing their names and chart information into the computer. It was good to put the face to the name.  My heart is hurting and aching so much for these young patients.... What can I do ease some of the burden? 

Answer: What a not-often-enough asked question.

I have survived thirteen surgeries in my life--some requiring long hospital stays--so being in the hospital as a patient is familiar territory for me.  Also, our son battled a brain tumor for nine years and with surgeries and radiation, and problems from both, he was in the hospital on a regular basis...and then house bound for several months before he went to Heaven.

What can I do ease some of the burden? 

• Listen.....people who are ill and/or hopeless need someone to listen. In 1967 I learned in a college class that listening is becoming a 'lost art'. It has gotten really LOST in the years since that class.  People tend to solve their own problems and/or lift their own spirits as they hear themselves talk.  And talking out our hearts is very, very good medicine for humans.
• Touch....be sure to touch an ill person's arm, shoulder, hand or foot through the covers as you listen, talk, read scripture..  This is so needed and seldom done. It is almost as if an ill person draws strength from the caring touch of another person.
• Shed tears...if you feel like crying with or for the person don't hold your tears back.  Compassion should be full of passion.
• Small gift...unbelievable  what it means to know someone cared enough to take the thought and time to get a gift and bring it to the hospital..  I have purchased so many nice things at the dollar stores that brought so many smiles.  And I have been on the receiving end and know how it lifts the spirit.
• Cards....notes. Keep you words few in number.  A "Please know I care" or "I am thinkin' of you and prayin' for you everyday" is so often enough. The pocket cards with a verse of Scripture on them is wonderful to give with a short note and your name on the back.
• Telephone calls. Keep them short and read a Scripture or two and pray a short prayer for the person before you say good-bye. Remember, where two or more are gathered God promises to be there too.
• Get a class of children to draw and color pictures or make a banner with pictures and the patients name on them.  I saw what this can mean to a person when I watched my 30 year old son read and look at each one he received--knowing children cared so much and were praying for him. He especially enjoyed a banner hanging on the wall. This is a two fold blessing:  The patient is always blessed and the children learn to reach out to others.
• Just sit...if a person is too ill to talk or listen, just sit in a chair and read the Bible outloud...or to yourself.  It is a great comfort to wake up, if only for a moment, and see someone sitting by your bed reading the Bible and praying for you.
• Decorate...always have seasonal decorations around and change them periodically.  A poster at the foot of the bed, a seasonal plant instead of fresh flowers, pot pourrie in a dish
• Straighten clutter...even in a hospital room.  Clutter makes people unsettled and wanting to straighten it up themselves.
• Fluff and turn pillows.  Unless you have spent volumes of time in a hospital bed you will not understand how wonderful this can be.
• Let light in. If there is a window and the shade is closed encourage the patient to allow you to open the shade and let the light in.  Sunlight/daylight lifts the spirit.
• Breath mints...so welcomed and not thought about until a patient gets them.

I Hope this helps.

This page has been displayed 2 times this month, 865 times since January 4, 2005 .