Home Letters Get Well Letter How to write a Get Well Letter

How to write a Get Well Letter

Considering the subject matter and the motive of the letter, the question ‘How to write a get well letter?’ should fall pale. The content matter and its non-formal nature do suggest that but then not all of us are well endowed to do so plus it is one thing to assume and another to work on that assumption.

Get Well Letter Writing Tips

Get Well Letter Format

Get Well Soon Letter Writing Tips

Drafting – Drafting a get well letter is a conventional practice but here the motive of drafting is not on the structure or following the format. Here the role of drafting is to put the best content in terms of language and positivity. Here you have to sort out what to include and what to exclude? Less stress on grammar and more focus on emotion of the grammar. Even if you are writing to your employer or employee you can get away with minor spelling mistakes as it is the intent and not the accuracy which matters.

Do’s and Don’ts – There are certain things which the sender should be aware of before he/she writes the letter.

Below are some Do’s and Don’ts which you should observe while writing your letter.

Do’s	Don’ts
Treat the recipient as the same person you have always known.	Do not mention the severity or graveness of the illness or injury as doctors may have kept it confidential so that the affected person doesn’t get tension as it may hamper the treatment.
Do mention of anything that is his favourite and which may inspire him towards early recovery.	Do not mention the patient’s condition as it becomes a repetitive reflective process which can disappoint the affected. Moreover some people prefer to keep their treatment or illness confidential due to various reasons.
Be natural and honest in your writing. Express and say that which is expected of you to show your genuine concern and not an animated one.	Do not come up with your views about the illness or injury unless you have been in the same situation. Nonetheless different individuals respond and heal differently to the treatment offered.
Do decorate your letter with characters, symbols, flowers and make it interesting to read and see.	Do not discuss the hard times of your illness in detail.
For the recipient who is not going to get well, send your care and concern and relate something personal if possible. You can use lines like “I see you’re getting excellent care. You’re on my mind, especially when I look at the roses you helped me plant last year. I’ll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.”	Do not use overly dramatic words such as ‘affliction’ or ‘tragedy’ as it burdens the mind with exaggeration of the condition.
For the recipient facing a long illness or who someone needs constant care, write to both patient and caregiver. You can use these lines - “I hope the treatments are going well. Please know that I am thinking of both Mary and you	Do not express and impose your views about treatment. Words like “You should be up and about in no time,”, “remember to keep a positive attitude” and alike. This greats extra responsibility on the patients shoulder and if the expectation are not met by the patients he/she may feel that he/she has let you down .
For the recipient who will recover, express your concern for his or her well-being, and send your wishes for recovery. You can use wording like - “I hope you’re doing well and are on the road to recovery. We miss you and look forward to seeing you back at the office.”	Do not put any responsibility on the recipient offering general help. For example when you offers help through these lines - "If there is anything I can do, please let me know." It gives a sick person one more decision to face.
Use phrases such as "I don't know what to say," or "Words are inadequate at a time like this," rather than talking about how difficult it is to write a letter.	Do not use anything out of the ordinary unless you are sure about it. Any spells or religious words, about which you are not sure, these should not be sent at all. Nonetheless if you know the recipient well and are absolutely sure it will be appropriate.
Read the letter to yourself and observe how you would have felt had you received the same letter and then make changes accordingly.	Do not mention – ‘Get well soon’ in a letter to someone who knows he is not going to get well. Use wording like “thinking of you”, “remembering you”, “I haven’t forgotten you” etc.
	Do not diagnose the reader’s illness or give unsolicited medical advice — especially regarding supplements, untested treatments, or alternative medicine. Even if you are a doctor giving an advice can undermine the patient’s confidence in the existing treatment. Point out any anomaly to the concerned authority.

Acknowledge and Sympathise – Even the strong and the brave can become sensitive when they get sick or injured. It is a difficult time where only the affected person knows the experience of the pain. The hard time isolates the person as rest of the world is not facing the same hardship. Acknowledging that the person is going through a hard phase of life makes the phase tolerable. When you sympathise by putting yourself in the receiver’s perspective and empathise in your letter then it provides a lot of support to the person. But be cautioned not to linger on the suffering part as it would prove counterproductive.

Be Positive – The ultimate aim of the get well soon letter is to cheer up the recipient through positive thoughts and enable a quick recovery. So avoid writing anything which would offend or dishearten the recipient. You can be positive by wishing for a fast and full recovery. Write down a funny quote or anecdote to lighten the mood. Give them hope even beyond hope, you never know what might work for one. Even a single letter can light a ray of hope. Scientific studies have revealed that patients who receive emotional support suffer less depression and less pain than do those without it. You can if you really can make a specific offer of help which would make the recipient happy, it can be it bringing his favourite food or drink or a weekly visit. You can also send some inspirational short stories or quotes to maintain a positive outlook despite the odd circumstances.

Keep it brief - Always remember to keep your get well letter brief and short. Of course if you know that the receiver likes long letters then there is no limit to words or pages. But for most cases a short, brief, one pages letter is sufficient. Long letters will be left half read and the length of the letter itself will be boring.

Accessories - Depending on the intimacy of your relationship with the recipient you can send your letter along with flowers, balloons, CD, DVD or a book to read.

Handwritten – Handwritten letters may sound out-of-age but not in the case of get well soon letters. Handwritten letter show your care and value towards the recipient. It also shows the level of your care and effort towards the recipient’s well being. It will certainly be noticed and appreciated. If thoughts are hard to come by you can use the words provided in get well greeting cards or e-cards in the market or on the internet.

Get Well Letter Closings – You can use a number of conventional closings like ‘Take care’, ‘Get better soon’ etc. You can however be more creative or unique by using various closings which are more apt or interestingly unanticipated.

You can use the below mentioned lines towards this effect

Things are not the same without you please get well soon and join me/us.
The office/home is not the same without you, of course so are we.
Hospital is the last place I expect you to be so get rid of your illness/injury and be where you belong, right beside us.
Eagerly waiting for you to come back where you belong the most.
The office is lonely without your companionship, and I can't wait to have lunch with you when you return.
I feel terrible you've fallen ill and want you to know I'm here if you need someone to talk to.
Where will we get a dude/gal like you? Certainly not in the Hospital!!!
You may not be a wolverine but I do know that you are fast even when it comes to healing.
I hope you start feeling better soon and are up and around before you know it.
I want you to know that I'm here for you in any way you need me. Just know that I'm thinking of you.
See you soon, Sincerely or Missing you.

In time – Timely delivery may sound the norm for the formal letters but not with get well soon letters. These letters do need to be delivered in time. Obviously your positive inputs and careful thoughts will lose relevance and effectiveness if they are sent untimely. They might not even make it to their destination if the patient is no longer available at the proposed address.