What to Send Someone in the Hospital: Gifts That Actually Get Delivered
Sending a gift to someone in the hospital sounds simple—until you realize how many things can go wrong.
The patient may be discharged before your gift arrives. The hospital may have restrictions on what can be delivered. A package shipped by UPS or FedEx may sit in a hospital mailroom for hours before anyone gets it to the patient’s room. And that beautiful food gift you carefully chose may not be appropriate for someone who is on a restricted diet.
If you want to lift someone’s spirits while they are in the hospital, choosing the right kind of gift—and sending it the right way—matters more than you might think.
After more than three decades of helping people send get-well and comfort gifts, I’ve learned that sometimes how you send the gift is just as important as what you send.
Here are some things to consider before you order that thoughtful gift.
What Are the Best Gifts to Send Someone in the Hospital?
The best hospital gifts are usually simple, cheerful, and easy for the patient to enjoy without creating extra work for them or their caregivers.
Some good choices include:
- Get-well gift boxes or baskets with nonperishable food or comforting items
- Individually wrapped cookies that can be enjoyed a little at a time
- A small stuffed animal or comfort gift that can brighten up the bedside
- Puzzle books, magazines, or light reading if the patient is feeling well enough to enjoy them
- Comfort items such as cozy socks, an eye mask, lip balm, or hand lotion
- A thoughtful card or note telling them you are thinking about them
- A gift for the family, particularly if family members are spending long hours at the hospital
You don’t have to spend a lot of money. In fact, a small gift chosen with the patient in mind can mean much more than an expensive gift that isn’t practical.
Before You Send a Gift to the Hospital
Before placing an order, there are a few things you should know. These simple steps can prevent your thoughtful gift from becoming a frustrating experience for you—or the recipient.
It May Be Better to Send the Gift to Their Home
This is probably the most important thing I’ve learned from years of sending gifts.
Sometimes the best place to send a hospital gift is not the hospital at all.
Patients are often discharged sooner than their families expect. If you order a gift on Monday and the patient goes home Tuesday, your gift may arrive at the hospital after they have already left.
We do not ship gifts to hospitals for this very reason. When we hand-deliver a gift locally to Flagstaff Medical Center, we call first to confirm that the patient is still there.
If you’re ordering a gift that will be shipped, I generally recommend sending it to the patient’s home whenever possible. They can enjoy it during their recovery, when they may appreciate it even more.
Make Sure You Have the Correct Name
If you are sending something to a hospital, don’t assume the name you know is the name the hospital has on its records.
For example, Gypsy Jones may be registered at the hospital as Juanita Marie Jones. The hospital may not recognize the nickname you’ve always used.
If possible, find out the patient’s registered name before sending the gift.
Include the Room Number or Department
If you know the patient’s room number, include it with the delivery information.
If you don’t know the room number, you may at least know the department, such as Intensive Care, Maternity, or Oncology.
Hospitals can be large and confusing places. Providing as much accurate information as possible can make it easier for hospital staff to get the gift to the right person.
If you’re unsure about the hospital’s delivery procedure, a quick phone call can save you a lot of trouble.
Delivery May Take Longer Than You Expect
When you ship something to a hospital, UPS, USPS, and FedEx generally deliver the package to the hospital’s receiving or mailroom area—not directly to the patient’s room.
Someone at the hospital then has to get it from there to the patient.
That can take several hours, depending on the hospital and how busy the staff is.
This is another reason I am cautious about shipping perishable gifts to a hospital. A gift that needs refrigeration may not fare well sitting in a receiving area or mailroom.
Be Aware of Dietary Restrictions
This is an easy one to overlook.
A patient may have dietary restrictions that you know nothing about. Even if they normally love cookies, candy, chocolate, or cheesecake, their doctor may have ordered a special diet while they are in the hospital.
A patient on a liquid diet, for example, isn’t going to be able to enjoy that beautiful cookie gift you sent.
If you know the patient well enough to know about their current dietary restrictions, that’s helpful. If you don’t, consider choosing a gift that doesn’t revolve entirely around food.
There is another option if the family is spending most of their time at the hospital. A food gift can be addressed to “The Family of [Patient’s Name].”
Just make sure the family will actually be there to receive it—and that the patient isn’t being discharged that day.
Hospitals Have Gift Restrictions
Don’t assume that anything you can buy can be delivered to a hospital room.
Some hospitals have restrictions on flowers, plants, balloons, stuffed animals, candles, or other items. Restrictions may also vary depending on the patient’s unit.
For example, flowers or plants may not be permitted in some intensive care areas, and balloons may not be appropriate in certain pediatric units.
It’s always a good idea to check with the hospital before ordering something unusual.
And there’s another reason to be careful with flowers.
When I was in the hospital, a beautiful floral bouquet was delivered to me. It was a lovely thought, but the strong scent from the lilies made me nauseous. I eventually had to ask the nurse to remove the flowers from my room.
So even when flowers are allowed, think about the patient. A strongly scented bouquet may not be the best choice for someone who is sick.
Don’t Ship Perishable Gifts to a Hospital
I am especially cautious about sending anything that requires refrigeration to a hospital.
Fruit baskets can be perfectly appropriate when they are delivered promptly. But a fruit basket that has spent hours sitting somewhere waiting to be delivered to a hospital room is a different story.
The same applies to chocolates that can melt, cheesecakes, fresh food, or anything else that needs to stay cold.
If you want to send a food gift to a hospitalized patient, nonperishable foods that are individually wrapped are generally a safer choice.
Choose a Gift That Will Put a Smile on Their Face
Being in the hospital isn’t much fun.
There are the medical procedures, the waiting, the unfamiliar surroundings, the hospital food—and often a lot of time with nothing to do.
That’s why I like gifts that are a little different from the usual get-well flowers.
A small gift that makes someone smile can be surprisingly meaningful.
For example, one of our “One Tough Cookie” gifts is designed specifically to bring a little humor to someone who is having a difficult time.
I’ve also visited friends in the hospital after sending them one of our Bear Hug gifts, and I love seeing the little bear sitting on the table beside their bed. It becomes a cheerful reminder that someone is thinking about them.
You don’t have to send something elaborate. Sometimes a small stuffed animal, a funny card, a package of cookies, or a favorite magazine is enough to brighten an otherwise difficult day.
Consider Gifts That Help Pass the Time
Hospital stays can involve a lot of waiting.
If the patient is feeling well enough, puzzle books, crossword books, magazines, or light reading material may be welcome.
You can also put together a simple comfort gift of your own. An eye mask, ear plugs, cozy socks, lip balm, hand lotion, and a small puzzle book can make a hospital stay just a little more comfortable.
Just remember that some patients may not feel like reading or doing puzzles at all. Don’t take it personally. When someone is sick, even opening a gift can sometimes feel like too much effort.
The thought behind the gift is what matters.
What If You Can’t Visit?
Sometimes you can’t be there in person.
You may live across the country. You may have your own family responsibilities. Or the hospital may have restrictions on visitors.
That’s when a thoughtful gift or even a simple card can mean so much.
And if you know that the person is alone, consider whether there is something more useful you can do.
Could you arrange for someone to check on them regularly? Could someone help with their pets? Do they have children at home who need help? Could a neighbor pick up their mail or bring something from home?
A gift is wonderful, but sometimes help is the gift someone needs most.
If you can visit, your presence may be even more valuable than anything you could buy.
The Best Hospital Gift Is One Chosen With the Person in Mind
There really isn’t one perfect gift for everyone in the hospital.
The best gift depends on the person, their medical condition, their dietary restrictions, how long they are expected to stay, and even whether they have room for another thing beside their bed.
That’s why I always recommend thinking about the person first and the gift second.
Will they be able to eat it?
Will they be able to use it?
Will it make them smile?
Will it create one more thing for someone to take care of?
And perhaps most importantly, will it let them know that someone is thinking about them?
That’s what a good get-well gift is really supposed to do.
If You’re Sending a Get-Well Gift
If you know the patient is still in the hospital and the hospital accepts deliveries, choose something that travels well, doesn’t require refrigeration, and is appropriate for the patient’s situation.
You might consider:
But if you’re not certain the patient will still be in the hospital when the gift arrives, sending it to their home may be the better choice.
They’ll be there soon—and they’ll be able to enjoy your thoughtful gift while they recover.
After all, sometimes the simplest gifts bring the biggest smiles.