Hospital patients often yearn for visitors, partly because hospitals can be sterile and cold, but some patients experience loneliness as a result of being away from their home, pets, and family.
There’s another reason why patients crave company. According to the online Better Health Channel, “Visitors are an important part of the recovery process and are welcome in hospitals. Visitors can help people recover faster, and also help reduce their anxiety and stress.” Visitors can also be advocates, functioning as a second set of eyes.
Psychology Today claims, “The effects of others on our biology are well-documented. Someone’s presence can affect another’s breathing, heart rate, and chemicals in their bloodstream.”
Having people around is good for our healing. A recent hospital patient I know welcomed visits from friends and family and proactively reached out via phone to keep and build those relationships, on top of scheduling in-home healthcare, not just to help with the activities of daily living, but to have someone around for company instead of returning to an empty house. People helped this patient heal.
James Lehman
Staff Writer
