Patient advocate: Valentine’s Day gifts that really matter

We seem to love Valentine’s Day.

Americans are expected to spend $27.7 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, a tad more than last year, according to Capital One Shopping. The statistic I find most interesting is that 34% of that spending— $9.5 billion — will be for gifts that are ultimately unwanted by their recipients.

So today, I will propose some Valentine’s Day ideas that cost nothing, and may well be more meaningful than candy, flowers or sappy cards. Have a heart, and try one of these “gifts” for yourself or a loved one.

Volunteer: Volunteering contributes to your community and to your own well-being. Research has found that giving of yourself reduces stress and blood pressure; promotes physical activity; helps cultivate emotional well-being; and promotes mindfulness and an attitude of gratitude.

You get as much as you give, in other words. Find opportunities near you at idealist.org, or search “volunteer opportunities near me” on your web browser.

Listen: Research shows that two out of every five people who have had a major cardiac episode experience symptoms of clinical depression, according to Northwestern University Medicine. The American Heart Association says 33% of patients who have had a heart attack experience depression.

The combination of depression and cardiac disease can lead to poor outcomes. If a friend or loved one is diagnosed with heart disease or has a heart attack, one of the kindest things you can do is listen carefully to them. If you detect signs of depression, you can suggest — gently — that they consider being screened by their doctor.

Learn hands-only CPR: Especially since the pandemic, people are hesitant to share germs with a stranger, and I can’t blame them. The good news is that compression-only CPR — or hands-only CPR — is the preferred form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

While someone dials 911, bystanders can perform quick, strong compressions in the center of the chest to the rhythm of “Stayin’ Alive,” the Bee Gees song, until first responders can arrive.

If started immediately, hands-only CPR has been shown to double, or even triple, a person’s chance of survival. CPR classes are widely offered by the Red Cross and American Heart Association, as well as at YMCAs and recreation centers.

Take part in a clinical trial: This is a different form of volunteerism. Clinical trials offer an opportunity to help researchers find better ways of preventing and treating diseases, improving health for all. Without clinical trial volunteers, many of the medicines and scientific discoveries we enjoy today wouldn’t exist.

At any given time, there are tens of thousands clinical trials taking place around the country and virtually. WGC CenterWatch (centerwatch.com) lets you browse study topics and find clinical trials near you.

Celebrate friendship: I’ve written before about the importance of social relationships, and friendships in particular, in keeping our spirits up, our hearts full and our brains working.

So whether or not you have a special someone to celebrate Valentine’s Day with this year, take time for alternate observances, such as Galentine’s Day or its gender-neutral variation, Palentine’s Day. They fall, technically, on Feb. 13 — but you can pick any day in February to celebrate friendships, check up on each other’s health and well-being, share healthful recipes and swap health and fitness tips. Maybe share a glass of wine, too.

Thank a nurse: Nursing is my life’s work, formerly as a critical care nurse and now as a patient advocate who trains nurses to become advocates. I know how critical nursing is to good patient outcomes. According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, though, more than 138,000 nurses have left the workforce since 2022 and almost 40% intend to leave by 2029.

Health-care consumers may not be able to do much about working conditions, pay and administrative problems, but we can help to make nurses’ lives better. When you’re in the hospital or doctor’s office, thank your nurses for their time and care.

You can also show your appreciation by nominating a nurse for the DAISY Award, a program that celebrates and recognizes nurses by collecting nominations from patients, families and co-workers. Learn more at daisyfoundation.org.

Valentine’s Day began as a saint’s feast day and now celebrates all forms of relationships. Make it yours.

• Teri (Dreher) Frykenberg, R.N., a registered nurse and board-certified patient advocate, is the founder of www.NurseAdvocateEntrepreneur.com, which trains medical professionals to become successful private patient advocates. She is the author of “How to Be a Healthcare Advocate for Yourself & Your Loved Ones” and her new book, “Advocating Well: Strategies for Finding Strength and Understanding in Health Care,” available at Amazon.com. Contact her at Teri@NurseAdvocateEntrepreneur.com to set up a free phone consultation.