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No matter how healthy you are, you will likely end up in the hospital at least once at some point in your life. And one thing is for certain – hospitals are not very nice places to spend a lot of time in.

One of the greatest tragedies of the COVIID_19 outbreak is so many patients have to fight it alone in the hospital. Because the most important thing for a hospital patient is to have a support network of friends and family around them. Patients need regular visitors to offer moral support and there also certain material things that can help to lift someone’s spirits. While most hospitals are now limiting patient visits due to the coronavirus, in a few months they will be re-opened and you will be able to visit patients again. 

If you are struggling to think of a gift idea to bring with you to the hospital, here is a selection of the best (and worst) things you might get.

Best Gifts

1. Flowers

Flowers have always been at the top of the list when it comes to things to buy for a hospital patient. Not only do they help vanquish that clinical hospital ward smell, but their vibrancy and life can spur a patient on toward recovery. Stories of the curative properties of flowers are not just old wives’ tales, either – there is a large body of evidence that points to the beneficial effects of flowers on the infirm.

2. Gift Hamper

After a long stint in the hospital, a patient will really start to get tired of the drab offerings from the hospital kitchens. A selection of delicious food and drink contained in carefully assembled health food gift hampers, the type of which are available online, can really brighten up someone’s day by letting them know that they are in your thoughts.

3. Slippers

When you start to miss home comforts, it is often the lack of familiar footwear that hits you first. The hospital floor can feel awfully chilly underfoot, which does not help with the chilly feet that one often suffers when they are ill. For this reason, one of the most thoughtful gifts that you can get is a pair of cozy slippers to help relieve the discomfort of icy feet.

Worst Gifts

1. Certain Types of Food

There are a number of foods that should be avoided as gifts for patients suffering from certain maladies. For example, it is probably a bad idea to bring a patient suffering from a stomach ailment or diabetes an extra-large Big Mac meal. Likewise, too much chocolate or soda should  be avoided for a patient, who is not in what might be called “rude health”.

2. Cigarettes and Alcohol

In most cases when someone is seriously ill, a gift of cigarettes is a definite no-no. Smoking at this moment runs the risk of threatening a patient’s recovery. In the same way, somebody who is seriously ill should probably not be drinking alcohol, even if you do manage to sneak that bottle of craft lager past hospital security. While it is a nice gesture for someone who likes a tipple every now and again, you will not be doing them any favors by bringing in their favorite alcoholic beverage.

When choosing a gift for a hospital patient, the best advice is to keep things simple. This list has provided a few ideas of what and what not to get as a gift for a hospital patient. The best gifts are those that have a personal meaning and will serve as a motivational tool for the patient to get better even after your visit is over.