We all know lovely people who have suffered or are suffering with illness. It sucks. And often it’s hard to think of anything you can do to really help them. At Silk & Lawn we know that a touch of luxury can be just the tonic for people who are having a hard time with their health and have had their self esteem knocked by treatment and illness. They deserve a little extra something, whether that be a gift that makes them smile when they catch a glimpse of themselves in the mirror, or a thoughtful gesture.
Here’s our top 10 of things you can do to lift your loved one’s spirits, when they need it most:
1. Hair holiday
Losing your hair because of illness or treatment is really tough. Trying to find new and inventive ways of covering up, or finding a look that you can live with can be exhausting.
We’ve had some wonderful feedback over the years about our made-to-measure Silk & Lawn turbans - they can be just the thing to give a little boost to your loved one’s self-esteem. Wonderfully soft and super-chic, they come in a range of fabulous colours and vintage prints, on 100% natural fabrics and are so comfortable, your friend may even want to sleep in hers...But if joyous headwear is not your lovely one’s “thing”, how about trying one of these ideas instead?
2. Home-style spa
Let’s face it, when you’re feeling ill, you couldn’t care less about shaving your legs or keeping up with any kind of beauty chores. How about a pure-pleasure spa-treatment at home - a manicure or pedicure, an aromatherapy massage, or a long hot bath with new bubbles? All can be arranged and will make your lovely feel…lovely.
3. Mix it up
Not drinking alcohol can be a boring, but necessary, part of recovery. Try mixing non-alcoholic cocktails with fresh and interesting ingredients and use the nicest (give them a good clean-up!) glasses you can find. Leave a stash of tasty ingredients, so that your friend can continue topping themselves up after you’ve gone.
4. Bring fine dining home
When your friend doesn’t feel up to going out, you can bring the fancy restaurant vibe to them - create a menu of things you know they love and make a fuss of them as you serve it. N.b. A variety of small dishes is less overwhelming to someone with a small appetite, or give them a choice of things that they might like to taste a little of.
5. Be a PA for the day
When you feel tired, day-to-day admin goes out the window. Ask your loved one if they want you to book anything for them, or get in touch with someone on their behalf. Sometimes just making sure that their diary is up to date is a weight off the mind. Buy them some stamps, envelopes and birthday / thank you cards, so they can easily keep up with the little chores that become overwhelming when you are out of energy.
6. Digital Guru
It sounds a little lame, but helping your friend out with the latest tech may be game-changer. Online subscriptions, podcast platforms, phone apps for games or content and generally helping to make things more accessible will help make day-to-day life more interesting. Is your friend into Wordle? Try Quordle if they want to take it up a notch!
7. Culture Consultant
If your lovely is more analogue than digital and feels like they’re out of touch with the latest arts and culture, then they need a new selection of literature or magazines. You can keep them in the loop with what’s out there by collecting brochures, magazine and photos of exhibitions, events and shows you see or hear of and pepper their home with great books, or even trashy books, Whodunnits?Whatever it is they like. If they’re not a reader, how about some crosswords, quiz books or Sudoku?
8. Craft Fairy
If you find it difficult to concentrate for long periods of time, sometimes it’s nice to do something that you can pick up and put down, whenever you feel like it. Not everyone is artsy-crafty, but you could try your friend on knitting, crochet, embroidery, drawing or even colouring in - all can be hugely mindful and satisfying!
9. A change of greenery…
Does your loved one have a garden? Then it’s likely they’ve not been able to give it much attention recently. Spending a couple of hours pulling up weeds, or planting for the next season will be a huge comfort and give them something to look forward to. If they don’t have a garden, how about buying them a plant or watering/ re-potting the plants that they have already?
10. New clothes and accessory treats
If your friend has been receiving treatment or struggling with their health, it’s likely they’ll need some new clothes to fit them. Going shopping or choosing things together online may lift their spirits.
Come to our Silk & Lawn online store to see the full range of colourful and silky-soft loveliness available.