Foods and home making

7. Why are fruit juices good foods to serve in the sick room ? 8. Name some desserts that you think would be suitable for a sick person. Tell why you think they would be desirable. 9. How can foods be kept hot while carrying them to the sick room ? 10. How should dishes used in feeding a person with a contagious disease be cared for ? How may one prove himself to be a worthy home member in time of sickness? A sick person in the home usually means extra care and work for the other members of the family. A daughter or son may often do much in helping to care for a sick member of the family. To do one’s share in sickness or health is one of the obligations of family life. Let us learn what may be done in caring for the sick. How can we help to make a sick person cheerful? A sick person usually feels very uncomfortable. He is also likely to feel depressed. Those going into a sick room should be careful to speak of cheerful things. They should also speak with cheery voices. 477 478 Health and Child Care Subdued talking outside a sick room may disturb a sick person. If he is seriously ill, such talking may alarm him. He may imagine that the seriousness of his illness is being discussed. Do not do or say anything that will make the patient think something is being kept from him. Even though a person is not very ill it is well to say nothing to alarm him. It is thought that a brave, cheerful per- son has a better chance of getting well than a fright- ened, sad person. How should flowers be cared for in a sick room ? Flowers do much to cheer most sick persons. Look- ing at a lovely flower may help a sick person to for- get his discomfort or suf- fering. Then, too, the fact that some one in the family has been thought- ful enough to pick flowers or that some friend has been kind enough to send them may cheer a patient. To know that family and friends are expressing their sympathy and thoughtfulness is comforting. Although fresh flowers may be cheering, wilted flowers often depress one. When a household has a sick member, it is helpful to have the daughter care for the flowers. Arrange cut flowers attractively in a vase or bowl. If possible, choose a holder that Figure 140. Short-Stemmed Flowers This vase is suitable in shape for the bouquet of field daisies and garden aspara- gus because it is low. Short-stemmed flowers should be arranged in a low vase or bowl. A transparent glass container is pleasing for many flowers, because it shows their stem. Caring for the Sick in the Home 479 is suitable for the flowers both in color and shape. Long- and short-stemmed flowers need different containers. (See Fig- ures 140, 141, and 142.) Keep fresh water in the bowl containing the flowers. They will remain fresh longer if the ends of their stems are cut daily. To do this hold the stems under running water or in a pan of water while clip- ping them. Discard wilted flowers. If there are plants in the sick room, keep them watered. Remove any wilted leaves or blossoms. It was formerly thought that flowers should be re- moved from a sick room at night, because they exhaled carbon dioxide. Now scientists know that flowers do not exhale enough carbon dioxide to do any harm.1 Sometimes a patient may grow tired of the odor of strongly scented flowers. Then it is well to take the flowers occasionally from the room.