Ways to offer help to people impacted by ALS

Asking for help can be incredibly difficult. You may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed when it comes to asking family and friends for help, but your loved ones will likely be more than happy to help you. Most people want to help – they just don’t know how.  

We asked the ALS community for the most helpful things friends or family could do or offer to do for them. Here’s a list of the most common answers, separated into helpful categories.

Help with care planning

1. Research doctors and ALS clinics, call to make appointments
2. Research treatment options
3. Research clinical trials 
4. Call insurance 
5. Learn about and reach out to helpful resources 

Help with care

1. Provide transportation to medical appointments
2. Offer to attend medical appointments and take notes
3. Offer to learn and help with basic care tasks at home if or as appropriate

Household chores 

1. Bringing meals over for the family
2. Setting up a meal train
3. Pick up groceries
4. Mow the lawn/lawn care and upkeep/plant flowers
5. Offer to clean the house or hire a cleaning service
6. Do laundry

Support with children 

1. Offering to babysit/handle child care for a few hours
2. Support maintaining healthy friendships with other children. Offer to accompany the children to parties, sporting events, play dates, etc.
3. Pick up children from school/activities
4. Find resources for children impacted by ALS 

Support the person living with ALS

1. Educate yourself about ALS
2. Check in often and consistently via phone, text, email, video, or a card. 
3. Talk to them like you’d like to be talked to
4. Be a safe space for them to share with you about how they’re feeling
5. Have fun with them! Schedule a movie night, book club, barbecue or other things they love 

Support the caregiver

1. Educate yourself about ALS
2. Listen without judgment or advice
3. Keep in touch. Write a card or call to check in even if they don’t respond
4. Provide respite care
5. Run errands 
6. Encourage the caregiver to manage their own health care needs. Offer to drive them to their own doctor appointments