Suppose you got sick in a foreign country. Would you feel you could trust the doctors? Would you be nervous when someone handed you a brownish natural remedy or even pills from a tiny pharmacy on the street?
For those who’ve recently come to your country, the feelings may be the same. You can help them know what to do when they or their children are sick. You can bring them some peace by talking through some options with them while they’re doing fine.
Drive them around to see where public health services and community clinics are available. Take them inside so they can know what the procedures are.
Show them how to access Refugee Medical Assistance and Medicaid. There may even be temporary subsidized medical care insurance available for them.
((Further Click: World Relief examples))
Help find places where doctors will accept Medicare for those over 65 years of age.
Teach them what foods and health practices will reduce their medical bills.
You could even organize a health class in their language. Find a good presenter and have your international friend help you locate a good translator. Together invite and advertise. Do it in a community center geared for their ethnic group if possible. Your church could also open its doors for the program.
Sometimes people come to the West from a fairly healthy lifestyle. With just 5-10 years they have a great increase in cancer, diabetes, and heart disease because of a fast food, high meat, high oil and sugar diet.
Imagine the fun of learning how to cook their ethnic food, helping them know how to make the spaghetti that their children are wanting, and all the while talking about health and how to make these various dishes in a way that promotes the health of the whole family.