Going through an accident is never easy, but seeing your loved ones get hurt is especially agonizing. Regardless if it was something small or a bigger accident, it’s still a terrible thing to go through both physically and emotionally. A lot of people have never been in such a position to look after their injured loved ones, but there are many ways to help! Here are the top ways to support a loved one after they have been injured in an accident!
Depending on the injury
First things first, determining the severity of the injury is a must in order to know how to help your injured loved one! Some accidents can be life-changing, leaving people with lasting effects both physically and mentally. Remember, it’s all about your loved ones and what they actually need in the given moment. If possible, talk to a doctor and ask for specific instructions on how to behave and help efficiently! From taking care of their injuries properly and cleaning them to making sure your loved one is taking the needed medicine – all of those things can help a lot!
Do research
If you are not sure how to help, doing research is a great way to start, especially if your loved one suffered a specific kind of injury. If there are any physical or mental changes that can affect their everyday life, doing lots of research about it is essential in order to know what to do. A lot of people who suffer through accidents get PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder which can greatly impact their lives. Being able to understand what they’re going through can do a lot for them, the last thing you want to do is irritate them and cause more harm to them! It can be hard for you, as a bystander, to watch your loved one go through such a thing, but being mentally strong for them is key!
Help with the legal side of things
The last thing your injured loved one wants to do is deal with the legalities that come after the accident. It can be both painful and stressful to go through it, so offering your help when it comes to lawyers and starting a case is welcomed! Even though there are many personal injury lawyers in Harrisonburg to choose from, your loved one might be overwhelmed by the aftermath of the accident, so doing proper research and finding a good lawyer instead of them is a great way to start. Also, just being there from them during the potential court trials is a must to show your support!
Provide emotional support
Emotional support is underrated in many situations, but in this case, it might be crucial for your loved ones to receive it. The pain, the trauma, and the stress that comes with going through an accident are hard to carry, so helping your loved one cope is much needed! Just letting them know that they are safe and loved is a good start – let them know that they can rely on you for anything. Don’t be too pushy and pressure them into talking about the accident and their feelings, it will come naturally, but just let them know that you are there!
Provide physical support
If your loved one lives alone, try staying with them and helping with basic chores around their home. This might seem small or insignificant, but it can actually help them a lot, especially if their injury prevents them from moving freely around their home. It can be extremely difficult to do basic things around the house like washing dishes, folding clothes, taking care of their pets – those are all important things! But also, if they are completely bed-bound, it’s essential for them to receive care 24/7!
Try to entertain them
If there is anything that could help in such a tragic situation, it’s just being there for your loved one. Sure, doing chores for them and helping around the house is great, but being able to distract them is another way to help! Try cheering them up with small acts of kindness, watch their favorite TV shows with them and just try to lighten up the mood a little bit. Quality time can truly transform a person and lessen their pain even a little bit! Being too serious and worried is not good for you, and it’s certainly not good for the person who is injured, so lighting up the mood from time to time is a must!
Act normal
The last thing your loved ones want to feel is pity from other people, especially if they feel helpless, to begin with. There is no need to over exaggerate and cause too much drama over this, even if you are feeling bad for your loved one – try to act normal around them! Being able to help and give emotional support without being too dramatic about it, can actually cause more harm than you think. Instead, talk to your loved ones about the accident and their feelings openly without displaying too much pity and making them feel even worse!
Ask what they want first
Sure, help is always needed especially if someone suffers an injury but that doesn’t mean you should give it without asking! Before you jump into it, ask your loved ones what kind of help they need and want from you – this way you’ll know exactly how to help them in the first place. Some people might even decline your requests to help, which you can accept or try to talk about – finding a compromise and talking about things openly is key! There is no perfect formula on how to properly help injured people around you, everyone is unique and requires different things so striving towards balance is much needed!
At the end of the day, helping injured people is a process that both parties have to go through, it’s not pretty and things can easily get stressful and hard. The important thing is not to make things worse in any way and strive towards making things better both physically and mentally. Many elements go into it, so it’s important to think about everything when dealing with such a thing!
