Two tips for those who want to buy presents for a loved one in the hospital

If you have a loved one who is staying in a hospital for a while, here are some presents that you might want to pick up for them during your next shopping trip.

Buy them a rose bear instead of a normal bouquet of flowers

Flowers are a lovely gift to give someone you care about, and they can certainly brighten up a dreary hospital room. However, most people who stay in a hospital for any length of time will end up receiving several bouquets of flowers, all of which will look quite similar. As such, if you arrive at the hospital carrying yet another bouquet, your ill friend or relative may not necessarily be blown away by this gesture (even though they will undoubtedly appreciate you visiting them).

If you want to ensure that the recipient gets a lot of pleasure out of looking at the flowers you give them, you may want to opt for a bouquet with a specific shape that is more visually interesting and decorative than a typical bouquet.

For instance, a rose bear (i.e. a bouquet of roses that is trimmed and arranged in such a way that it resembles a teddy bear) would be a fantastic alternative to a standard bouquet, that will stand out (for the right reasons) amongst the sea of other bouquets on your loved one's bedside table in the hospital. This unusual bouquet will not only bring your loved one a lot of joy each time that they look at it but will also demonstrate to them that you cared enough to spend time choosing a unique bouquet, instead of just picking up some random flowers at the local supermarket.

Choose things that will appeal to the person's senses

Lying in a hospital bed in a drab and quiet room for more than a day or two can be very dull and depressing. As such, when you go shopping for presents for your sick friend or family member, it's worth getting them some items that will engage and delight their senses. This should make this hospital stay a little easier for them to bear. For example, you may want to buy them some fragranced hand cream; being able to massage their hands with a beautifully-scented cream will perk them up when they're feeling down.

Additionally, it might be a good idea to buy them a few pairs of cashmere socks or a cushioned pair of slippers; the softness and warmth of these items on their feet will help them to feel cosier and more at ease whilst they recuperate.

Finally, you could pick them up a notebook with a beautiful cover, as well as a pretty pen, which they will get a lot of pleasure out of looking at and using. They can then jot down their feelings, write down plans for the things they want to do when they get out of the hospital or write letters to their friends and family.