The B Team Standard
Caregiving Idea #4: Dietary Support
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While we’re on the topic of food, I think one can genuinely care for a friend by helping them with dietary support.
I talk a lot about cognitive labor in Equal Partners. Cognitive labor is a term coined by Allison Daminger. It is essentially the same as “emotional load” or “invisible labor.” But I like it better. Cognitive labor is all the work that happens in a home that isn’t a physical task. Sure, there’s folding the laundry. But there’s also the work on anticipating who is going to need which item clean and when. Sure, there’s cooking dinner. But there’s also anticipating who is going to eat what on which night. There’s managing schedules, anticipating needs, making decisions, and evaluating processes. None of these examples are a “physical” task. But it takes up lots and lots of time. And even more energy.
I love the idea of helping a friend with cognitive tasks as much as physical tasks. And today’s idea of offering dietary support is one that could check both boxes.
There are lots of reasons for changing one’s diet: gluten-free, low fat, no dairy, diabetic, etc. Saying goodbye to old staples and trying to incorporate new foods into your daily routine is hard. It can be expensive, confusing, and time consuming. All the research about what foods to eat, figuring out where to buy things, and finding and trying recipes to see what actually tastes good — well, it’s a great time to step in and care for a friend.
1. Show your support by doing some work for them. Research recipes online and print 10 of your favorites. Or buy a relevant cookbook and bookmark the things you think your friend will like best. (Cognitive.)
2. Show your support by trying one of those recipes and dropping off a dish, or going grocery shopping and picking up some key ingredients. (Physical.)
Have a friend starting chemo? Appetite can be an issue. Find a cookbook for people battling cancer, make a recipe that sounds good, and freeze it in mini-portions that can be easily reheated. The cookbook + the frozen soup could be a real lifesaver.
Have a friend who was recently diagnosed as diabetic? Find some foods that are diabetic friendly, or go with them to a seminar on living with Diabetes. Find drinks and foods that you both enjoy. Don’t pressure them to cheat; don’t encourage them to stray. Show them that you care so much, you’re there for the hard times as well as the good.
Click here for Idea #5: Lawn Bombs
