THE BENEFITS OF FRIENDSHIP
* Friends Get You Moving - Friendly nagging can actually work when it's coming from a friend who's pushing you to move more.
* Friends Keep You Relaxed - In the face of great stress, talking with and leaning on friends really can help you get through some troublesome times.
* Friends Help You Live Longer - Research has shown that people with with stronger relationships have a 50% greater chance of survival than those who don't.
* Friends Boost Cancer Survival Rates - While friendships may help you live longer in any situation, social ties have been linked specifically to overcoming cancer.
* Friends Lower Heart Disease Risk - Perhaps because of their relaxation powers, friends are also good for the heart.
You Can Help Your Friends Help You!
The following caregiving coordination services are free, easy-to-use Web pages that help family and friends communicate when a loved one is receiving care.
They allow family, friends, neighbors and colleagues to build a community of support.
Each community includes a group calendar for scheduling tasks such as transportation, meals, babysitting, etc., a platform for sharing information, blogs, photos, well wishes, journal, and messages. This is a good task to give to a friend to set up!
Friends and Caregiver Support Resources
Friendship doesn't just improve survival for breast cancer patients, it can also help ease their pain and symptoms, according to a new study from Kaiser Permanente researchers.
The study, published in the journal of Breast Cancer and Treatment, shows that having strong social ties and interaction is linked with greater quality of life - both emotional and physical for breast cancer patients.
Researchers found correlations between having strong support systems and friendships/relationships with all quality of life measures, while those with little social support actually reported more breast cancer symptoms. Support was especially linked with improved quality for late-stage breast cancer patients.