#20. Take Care of Some Errands

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Offer to do errands for them or invite them out to do errands for you. The text can say “I’m running errands all over town tomorrow, would love to see you and we can get yours done too.” Sometimes just driving around is a good activity because all they have to do is sit in the car. You can listen to music, catch up on things, and get out of the house. When Megan’s friend Mary was sick they loved to go to Home Goods and walk around on a day she felt good and then they would stop by the dry cleaners and grocery store. Sometimes she got out of the car and sometimes Megan just ran into the store for her.

#19. Plan a Backyard Picnic

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If they are too sick to be out in public and have been stuck in the house, this gives a change of scenery and a reason to be outside. Remember a colorful blanket, flowers for a centerpiece, and pretty paper products! If kids are involved, bring bubbles, Frisbees etc., to occupy them. Picnics also keep everyone outside the house so there’s no pressure on the family to clean anything before you get there!

#18. Send a Prayer Blanket

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A prayer blanket is a pretty, comfy blanket that everyone in your family, on your team, etc., takes turns holding and prays into. Include a note with everyone’s signatures that says something like “This blanket was prayed into by our whole book club, we hope that you feel covered with love and prayers.”

#17. Drop Off Good Books

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Books are a good resource and effective distraction. You could put together a basket including a spiritual book, an inspiring book, a funny book, and a novel so they can choose one depending on their mood (you could write a note explaining this).

#16. Make Them a “Fun and Errands Box”

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Fill a beautiful box with cash ($1, $5 and $20 bills) collected by your friends, neighbors, class, or team. It’s called a “Fun and Errand Box” and it provides extra money for kids to grab when they are going out or if someone is going to the store. It saves a trip to the ATM and just may make one thing easier.

#15. Offer Play Dates to Kids and Siblings

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Offer to take kids out of the house for a bit and make the day especially fun! Tell them about it a few days in advance so they have something to look forward to and distract their minds with. It makes the adults happy that when they are too sick or sad to do fun things that their kids are out doing something fun. This is a HUGE gift.

#14. Binge Watch

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Make a plan to have a Binge Watch Day together. Show up in your PJs (and maybe bring a new pair for them) and pick an awesome TV series. Bring snacks and bunker down for the day. Try to limit your cell phone use so you are able to really be present for the visit. Check before you go over about anything they have been craving or can’t have (a lot of times chemotherapy affects what people feel like eating).

#13. Drop Off Something in the Morning

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Sometimes the mornings seem impossible to wake up to when someone is sad or sick (or both). Drop off a favorite coffee or drink every time you go for yourself. Send a text saying “Hope your day is feeling manageable, I thought your favorite Passionfruit Iced Tea might help, it’s on your doorstep.” Or text on your way over and say something like “I’m on my way over with a tea for you, do you want some company or should I leave it at the door?” When I lived at my sister’s house in the weeks following September 11th a neighbor we barely knew started to drop off two coffees on the doorstep every morning. Then he got word that I drank Diet Coke, not coffee, so then every morning there was a coffee and Diet Coke on the doorstep. We started off our day feeling cared for and witnessed by someone.

#12. Don’t Forget About Breakfast & Lunch

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Send a text to the family the night before saying “I’m dropping breakfast off at 6:30 tomorrow morning! It will be in the cooler.”

Ideas:

– Include paper products

– Bagels and cream cheese

– Doughnuts

– Banana bread

– Muffins

– Casseroles/ quiches

– OJ / coffee

– Fruit

– Lunch from a favorite place in town

#11. Organize a Meal Train For Dinners

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We use Lotsahelpinghands.com because it is easy and sends out reminders. Remember to ask about any allergies, dislikes, and what time the family likes to eat dinner. Dinners can be left in a cooler on the porch so no one has to answer the door if they don’t feel like it.

Tips:

– Leave a cooler outside the house with a thank you note from the family (Thank you’s are not necessary AT ALL but this takes the weight off the family feeling like they haven’t thanked everyone)

– Encourage everyone to add a note to their meal – add pretty paper products so that no dishes need to be done

– deliver in disposable containers so the family doesn’t have the hassle of getting dishes back to you. If delivering on plates you need back, write a note to leave dirty dishes outside the door and swing by the next day to get them.