BCHS physician offers gift suggestions for friends and families coping with illnesses
There is an old saying that “It’s the thought that counts,” especially around the December holiday season. Dr. Forrest Robart, a local physician and medical director of the Battle Creek Health System Wound Healing Center reminds people that are choosing holiday gifts for family members or friends coping with illness to consider the person’s needs before they pick out a gift.
“Many of us get caught up in the traditions of the holiday season and want to do things just as we did in the past,” says Dr. Robart. “However, for the elderly and those coping with illness, the holidays can be very stressful and tiring. When you are choosing a gift, it is important to think about the recipient’s health and how the gift will be used.”
Dr. Robart offers some tips:
- Slippers are a common gift for the elderly but do not buy based on outside appearances. One in five Americans over 60 has diabetes and improper footwear can cause serious health problems. Inspect the inside of the slippers for seams that could irritate skin or cause a wound. Consider side wrap slippers with Velcro fasteners for recipients with swollen feet.
- The sugar and cholesterol in holiday treats can be a health risk for those with diabetes and arterial disease, so consider a fruit basket, a health-conscious cookbook or an appliance such as a juicer. Many gift basket sellers also offer sugar-free, low sodium, or health-related gifts.
- Bring the holidays to someone who is homebound or too tired from an illness to decorate. Wreaths and poinsettias brighten any room, or you can offer to assist the person in putting up their own treasured holiday decorations.
- For someone who is battling a serious illness, the act of sending out holiday greetings can be overwhelming. Help compose and duplicate a brief note then set aside an afternoon when your friend can sign cards as you handle addressing and mailing them.
- Share a New Year’s resolution and become a partner in your friend or family member’s health. Agree to go on a diet and exercise together or ask if you may drive them to doctor appointments and also pick up prescriptions.
- Your understanding and time are the best gifts. Do not force someone who is not physically up to it to celebrate the season with gusto. Instead, spend a quiet visit with them and let them know that having them there to share the holidays is what matters most.
The Battle Creek Health System Wound Healing Center, located at 300 North Avenue, partners with the National Healing Corporation Wound Center. It specializes in the treatment of chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions and offers hospital-based outpatient wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy as well as disease management and diabetes care. For more information, call (269) 966-8560.
Battle Creek Health System, sponsored by two parent organizations--Trinity Health (the fourth largest Catholic health system in the U.S. with 12 hospitals, 9 nursing homes, 19 senior house facilities, 8 home health care agencies, and 4 hospices in Michigan alone) and BCHS Community Partners, is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Battle Creek Health System as a recipient of the 2008 HealthGrades Orthopaedic Surgery Excellence Award™. HealthGrades is a leading health care information company that provides objective ‘report card’ ratings nationwide. BCHS provides excellent health care for the community and promotes wellness for the whole person with access and compassion for all. For the latest medical information, visit the BCHS web site at www.bchealth.com or call the BCHS Marketing Department at (269) 966-8132.
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