Read on for tips about how to care for others through winter sickness. Whether flu, covid, croup, or just winter blues, so many opportunities exist for you to care for others through the winter sickies we are all experiencing.
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, or medical professional, so those are not the pieces you will find here. I try to be a good friend, and good friends surround me…that’s where we are headed here!
Well friends, a couple of weeks before Christmas, our crew finally had the dreaded experience with COVID-19. We have tried so hard, and for almost three years, it stayed away. We do not take lightly that we had it in such a lighter way. But we had it nonetheless and are so thankful for how we were cared for by others.
I thought I’d stop and share a few ideas of ways to care for others during our tough season of winter wellness. Most of these are ways we were cared for during our sickness; it all came as a huge blessing.
Tips for caring for others through winter sickness
- Just do what you can – this is my first piece of advice. You don’t have to do all the things, but do what you can. Even if it’s a text or message. Meals and great activities are fine, but just reaching out to your friend and thinking about them is a great start.
- Drop off a meal – this is so helpful, especially if the cook is the one sick. But, if not, it’s nice not to think about feeding your people. Think about foods you love when you are sick, or reach out and ask if there is something they’ve been craving. Always check about allergies or foods they don’t eat.
- Send a meal – if you are out of town or can’t stop by, have food delivered or Venmo them money to cover a delivered meal. Pizza, Panera, Tazikis, Cracker Barrel, and Panda Express are all good options when you are under the weather. I was craving enchiladas, and warm food with cheese dip and guacamole totally hit the spot. Tazikis lemon soup with crackers was a perfect meal on a different day.
- Drop off treats – who doesn’t love a treat? Maybe crumbl cookies, cupcakes, or something they rarely buy themselves or really love. I’m telling you, when those crumbl cookies appeared in my favorite flavors, I could taste them even when I couldn’t taste them. But treats can be something you make or just a basket of their favorite snacks from the grocery store.Â
- Drop off a coffee or tea – nothing brings comfort like my favorite coffee. Leave it on the doorstep and ding dong ditch, or send a text that it’s there.Â
- Send an amazon gift card for a new book or to fill their kindle – oh man, all that sitting time, and you can only watch so much TV and so many Instragram stories. Send a gift card through Amazon, and they can download a book.
- Offer to run errands – this is so helpful. Find out if they need something while you are out. Most towns can get groceries delivered, but for us, the week before Christmas, I was so thankful to have someone else grab a few things from my to-do list.
- Offer to pick up kids – shuffling kids is huge stress when you’re down. If you are headed somewhere or picking up kids, be part of pick up
- Send a care package – if you aren’t close enough to drop it off, take advantage of USPS and get them fun from afar!
- Offer to have someone clean their home after they are well
- Drop off craft kits or activities – this is the way to my kid’s heart and a secret to sanity at our home. Don’t complicate it; hit the dollar store, hobby or craft store, or print off new things from Pinterest.
- Offer to cover a meeting for them – if you consider helping a co-worker, this is a great way to show support. Or, take their ideas and represent their thoughts in the conversation.
- Make it easier for them to work remotely – what can you do from the office to make it easy for them where they are?
- Facetime and zoom are still options – don’t forget we did things from afar for months on end in 2020, and those technologies are still an option.
Meal ideas to carry for someone who is sick
- To go from their favorite restaurant
- Find out if they’ve been craving something
- Soup – bought or homemade
- Easy Meals to Take
- You don’t have to include a dessert
- Kid-friendly treats – juice pouches, gummies, Z bars, pop tarts, goldfish, pudding, applesauce, cereal, fruit strips
- Include a salad or vegetables
- Remember breakfast foods
