by Lisa H Warren

Created on: May 24, 2009   Last Updated: May 25, 2009

Selecting a gift for someone who is sick and/or hospitalized can depend on how sick the person is, and the reason for, and length of, hospitalization.

Before selecting a gift keep in mind that anything brought into or out of a hospital (or sick room) should be something that can be effectively surface-cleaned. Also, anything being used by the patient should be small enough in size and number to be kept in one place, rather than being moved "all over" the room. Nosocomial infections (infections that have nothing to do with the original reason a person is hospitalized, and that can be deadly, particularly to the compromised patient, are a raging problem in many hospitals. A certain level of awareness of not introducing new germs to patients who may be particularly at risk, and of not inviting hospital germs to ride home on patients belongings, is always the wisest thing to do. Something like stuffed animals may be adorable and may make a patient smile, but they don't make the best gift for the hospitalized patient (particularly if his immune system is already compromised).

Something else to keep in mind that gifts should not get in the way of hospital staff.

It can seem instinctive to bring someone a magazine, newspaper, or book of crossword puzzles. Much of the time, however, the recipient of the gift may have no interest in reading, or even the ability to concentrate enough to read. Someone who is scared to death over upcoming surgery, or over the results of some diagnostic tests, may not be able to concentrate on reading (or care much about it, even if he can concentrate). New mothers often have only their babies on their mind, and new mothers can actually be kept quite occupied during their hospital stays. A particularly ill and/or medicated patient may not be able to read. Elderly patients often suffer from at least some depression associated with any long-term medical issues; and that can cause loss of interest in activities such as reading. For these reasons, it's always best to ask the patient about his interest in having something to read rather than assuming reading will make a great gift for anyone but the patient who broke an ankle when he fell he ice.

Flowers usually make a nice gift when the individual is neither allergic nor in a special section of a hospital (intensive care, for example). Flowers don't need to be expensive arrangements from the florist. In fact, sometimes those can require a little more water, pulling of dead flowers,

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