How to visit the sick

[MontereyMatt]

I drive past a hospital on my way to and from work, and one morning, a thought jumped into my head. Christ spoke of visiting the imprisoned and taking care of the sick as something that God rewards. As I drove past the hospital, I thought about the sick people in it whom I pass by day after day, people who might be lonely and afraid, and in need of a visitor. I asked myself what was really keeping me from going in there and doing this good deed. What I came up with was the question of how practical it is to just walk into a hospital and visit people. What if everyone there has family and does not need or want any visits by a stranger? Do hospitals allow just anyone to visit patients? I always hear “visiting the sick” mentioned as something a good Christian should do, but I just wonder how one would go about this - the practicality of it in real life terms. This is on top of the fact that I, personally, am terrible at making small talk, especially with total strangers, but that’s a seperate issue. It’s an extremely difficult prospect, visiting the sick. Can just anyone do it?

 

[Pug]

Your parish may already have something called compassionate ministry in place. They visit the sick (in the hospital) and bring them communion. Call your parish office and see! Also, often a parish has several people on their lists who are in nursing homes or are at home shut in who need visitors. Bringing communion really helps if you are not much of a small-talker.

If none of that pans out, the chaplin at the hospital may be the person to speak to as he or she probably coordinates all visitation of the sort you describe at the hospital.

 

[Toni]

As stated Christian Service usually has some kind of program for visiting the sick. Also you could call a nursing home in your area and see where they need volunteers. They can always use help as far as visiting and praying with the sick. In my lifetime I spent many years in the nursing homes spending the night with my grandmother and visiting others. They are the most neglected people in America. I can not tell you the amount of people that never have visitors. It is a shame we spend more time caring about animals than the elderly. God Bless you for wanting to make a difference.

 

[Eileen_T]

I work as a Caregiver at a Geriatric Care Centre and am appalled how few get regular visits from family members. Many of these people have had strokes and need help with feeding. Staff have limited time when someone is slow at swallowing because there are others needing their meal.

Volunteer to help at mealtimes or read the newspaper or a book to someone. I have one chap who gets teary-eyed when we stop and talk to him because he is so grateful for any attention he gets.

 

[puzzleannie]

you might also call the local hospice and see if they have a program for companions, who visit patients regularly. This usually involves some training, because of course your patients will all eventually die and and you have to learn how to cope with this, and what your role is - companioning, not nursing, counselling etc.