When a friend, family member, or business associate is in the hospital, we often want to send them a gift to lift their spirits.  While this is a thoughtful gesture, sending a gift to a hospital patient is not as easy as just ordering online or even locally. 

Here are some helpful tips to make sure that your gift reaches the patient and is appreciated.

It may be better to send it to their home.

Many times, the patient may be released sooner than you realize they will be and when the gift is delivered, they may already be at home.  We do not ship to hospitals for this reason and will hand deliver a gift to Flagstaff Medical Center (our local hospital) only after calling to confirm that the patient is still there.

Include important delivery details.

If you know the patient’s room number or department such as Intensive Care or Maternity Department, include it when ordering the gift.  Many hospitals are spread out over a broad area and knowing the correct department or room number will make it easier to get it to them more quickly. You may want to call the hospital to make sure that you have all the information needed to ensure delivery.

Make sure that you have the name that the patient will be registered under.  Gypsy Jones is not the same as Juanita Marie Jones.  One is a nickname and the other is the legal name.  The hospital won’t recognize the name Gypsy Jones if they are registered under their legal name.

Delivery may take longer than you expect

If you are shipping a gift, UPS, USPS, and Fedex will only deliver to the mail room and not to the patient's room.  Hospital empl0yees are responsible  for delivering the gifts to patients from there.    This can sometimes take several hours before it is actually delivered to the patient and perishable items may spoil.

Be aware of any dietary restrictions

Special diets may be prescribed for patients depending on why they are in the hospital.  You may already know the patient's dietary restrictions when they are not in the hospital but doctors may order special diets while hospitalized.  That cheesecake or cookie bouquet may not be allowed if they are restricted to a liquid or other restricted diet.

If the family is spending much of the time at the hospital with the patient, they may love receiving a food gift basket addressed to “The Family of Patient John Jones.”  Just make sure that the patient is not being discharged that day.

Hospitals have gift restrictions

Many hospitals will not allow flowers or plants to be delivered to ICU units nor balloons to pediatric units.  Even stuffed animals and candles may not be allowed.  So it is wise to check with the hospital prior to ordering your gift to make sure that it will be allowed to be delivered to the patient.

When I was in the hospital, a beautiful floral bouquet was delivered to me but the sweet scent from the lilies in the bouquet made me nauseous.  I had to ask the nurse to remove it from my room.  So when sending flowers, make sure that they are not ones with a strong scent.

Don’t send perishable gifts to a hospital. 

Fruit baskets are usually okay if they are delivered and not shipped.  But chocolates may melt in the hot UPS delivery truck.  The same is true of cheesecakes or any other food products that require refrigeration.

Choose a gift that will put a smile on their face.

A gift that is a little different from the usual can help cheer up someone who is not well.  Smiles are scarce but you can help put one on their face with one of our cookie gifts.  

I've visited friends in the hospital after I've sent them one of our bear hug gifts and they have the bear sitting on the table beside their bed.

Puzzle books or light reading material may be welcomed if they are not too sick.  Another idea is a relaxation kit that you can put together.  Include items like an eye mask, ear plugs, and even lavender-scented lotion and lip balm.

While material gifts are wonderful, don't underestimate the value of your presence.  If visiting in person is possible, a visit from you can be the best gift of all.

If the person is all alone with no family, coordinate with other friends to make sure that the patient receives regular check-ins and support.  If they have pets or small children at home, they may need help caring for them until they are able to do so themselves.

Remember, sometimes the simplest gifts can bring the biggest smiles.

Remember, It's the Thought That Counts

We want to make sure that any get well gifts that you order actually put a smile on their face and that both you and the recipient are not disappointed.  By keeping these tips in mind, you are more likely to have your thoughtful gesture bring joy and comfort when it is needed most.

Remember, it's the thought that counts -- your love and support mean more than any physical gift ever could.  Your kindness can make a world of difference in their recovery journey.