Admitting you are vulnerable isn’t an easy topic to talk about for anyone because it’s often misconstrued as weakness. Many people throughout all walks of life are vulnerable – children, those suffering from poor mental health, and the elderly are a small glimpse of the many examples of a vulnerable person. Regardless of whether you’ve felt like this yourself or not, it’s important to look out for those in your life that may be vulnerable. Want to know how to help a loved one in need? Take a look at these tips on how to help a vulnerable loved one, whether they’re suffering from mental health issues or struggle to complete their weekly shopping alone.
Be a shoulder to lean on
No matter what someone’s going through, whether it’s the loss of a loved one or an illness that’s hit them hard, sometimes all they need is someone to simply be there for them. Being their shoulder to cry on, sitting down and listening to their problems – no matter how small they may seem – can make a huge difference in someone’s lives. It’s also important to remember that sometimes, everyone needs their own space. Respect their needs and simply be there for them when they need it.
Make sure they are looking after themselves
You’ve probably experienced it yourself at some point or another; forgetting to take care of yourself is one of the easiest things to do, yet it can be super damaging to your health. Checking in on their food stocks, their hygiene products, and even how clean their home is can give you an idea of how well they’re looking after themselves.
Here are some ways to help encourage self-care:
- Buy a few food items and suggest having a meal together
- Offer to clean their dishes
- Find a local propane delivery service to keep their home warm
- Invite them to the salon for a much-needed pampering session
While your intentions are good, there is only so much you can do for a person. If you are genuinely concerned about someone’s well-being and think they aren’t taking proper care of themselves, speak to a health professional about the next steps to take.
Help with day to day activities
Sometimes day to day activities might be neglected because they simply can’t do them. Bathing, walking the dog, reaching up high for cobwebs are all great examples of activities that vulnerable people, namely the elderly, may struggle with. Helping them with simple tasks like this will help them keep their independence and most of all, give them someone to rely on when they’re feeling especially vulnerable.
Get educated on what makes them vulnerable
Understanding what makes your loved one vulnerable can help you give them the best care possible. For example, someone suffering from poor mental health won’t benefit as much from encouragement to bathe than an elderly person who avoids it because it’s become difficult. Find out more about their vulnerability so you can help them in the best way possible.
Have realistic expectations
Just because someone is vulnerable now, it doesn’t mean that’s how they’re going to be for the rest of their lives. However, it’s important to understand that recovery doesn’t happen overnight. Many people spend months, even years getting over a bout of depression, so be sure to keep realistic expectations of what they can achieve and above all, what you encourage them to achieve.
Don’t take over their life and freedom
A huge mistake that many people make when trying to help a loved one is taking over their life completely. Imagine yourself in a vulnerable position, and a loved one is helping you as much as they can. You’d be grateful right? Now imagine they don’t give you a choice in anything to do with your life anymore, regardless of how much you plea your case. It’s a terrible thought, isn’t it?
It’s easy to think you’re doing the right thing for someone and to go ahead and do it even if they ask you not to. Please, as much as possible, always give your loved one a choice about the care you’re giving them. You need to protect their dignity – even from you.
Stay calm if things become intense
Remember you are their support system, and try to always be there for them the best you can and when they are venting to you about something very serious try and stay the calmest you can. It’s understandable that sometimes, you may find their problems difficult to deal with yourself. Try to always stay calm and neutral about their feelings. If they are getting really deep and you are not comfortable with the conversation going in that direction, slow the pace down and direct it somewhere else, then bring it up later. At that point, it might be easier for them to talk to a professional about it. If they ask why just simply tell them you know they could help them better than you could.
It’s okay to ask for help
One thing that’s really important to remember as someone trying to care for a vulnerable person, is that there is absolutely nothing wrong in asking for help. No matter whether you need help taking care of your loved one, or need a small bit of respite yourself, or even you feel a professional would be more suitable for their needs, it is absolutely always okay to ask for help.
Look after yourself
Finally, and this is a big one, look after yourself! We’ve spent this whole article talking about how important it is to think about what your loved one needs and wants, but you should also never forget about your own well-being. Take long walks, soak in the tub, eat hearty and nutritious meals, and get as much sleep as possible. Give your body and mind time to recover so you can always be at your best. After all, if you’re not healthy yourself, you’re not going to be of much help when looking out for a vulnerable loved one, are you?
With these tips, taking care of a loved one will be much easier, and much more successful.