How to support a loved one diagnosed with chronic illness

Have you had a loved one newly diagnosed with chronic illness? Here is some helpful tips that will help you supporting them.

• Do your research, a lot of chronic illnesses are complex, try and understand the illness by making yourself familiar with it.

• Ask questions, your loved one will have to see a specialist, discussing the illness with the specialist should help you understand more of the illness.

• Listen to the one that has the illness, if they’re tired allow them the space to rest, don’t push them too much as you will do more harm than good.

• Enable your loved one to have a platform to come to terms with their illness, how their life is going to change.

• Help them to manage their medication, walk alongside them (but don’t control them)

• Check in regularly, ask how they’re doing, feeling, what you can do to help (but do not overbear).