To bring a gift to someone in palliative care with kidney and heart failure?

[Laffydaffy]

Posting for traffic, really. An older man that I know now is in palliative care with kidney and heart failure. As his family is looking after him, and he is sleeping a lot, what would you recommend I bring? Preferably something for the family and for him. I did have the idea of gentle skin-care, or maybe a mini gentle fan (it is hot), but am really struggling for ideas.

Music, maybe a radio or some other device with favourite songs on it

Are you actually close to him? When my best friend was dying she didn't want gifts from anyone as it just brought home that they were sympathy gifts and wouldn't have happend if she wasn't so sick. If you're close I'd go for something like regular hand written letters of trivial but funny events to alleviate the tedium of being awake when you're dying.

A home made cake for the family.
A mini fan is a good idea.
Some gentle hand/ face wipes, he may not feel like getting up and washing and can use these.
A scented diffuser for his room

why dont you ask his family?

A fan is a good idea. Maybe a box of pastries or cupcakes? A Radio Times?

Are you allowed to put fans in ...thinking PAT tests etc. what about some nice fruit and sweets or biscuits.

Yes, they can do a visual pat test in the hospital/hospice

I never knew that! Fan is a nice idea if he doesn't have one

are fan's even allowed?

Biscuits, fruit and sweets sound nice for him and the family.
Re the fan, I was thinking of a battery operated one - avoids all the PAT testing etc.
A cold drink in a reusable insulated bottle with a straw might be nice and relatives could refill (hospital bedside water jugs with lukewarm water are horrid, as are feeder cups).
Mints or sour sweets to encourage salivation if he has a sore or dry mouth.
A bottle of freshly squeezed orange/fruit juice

Yes to gift something meaningful at such a time, I do second this. I personally wouldn’t be bringing in diffusers or anything without checking first as they can sometimes even aggravate ‘healthy’ patients.

My dad was in palliative care not so long ago and his needs were just so specific and random, I think most traditional hospital gifts would have just been useless to him. He wasn’t even able to swallow anything hence knowing all this info upfront may help you decide on an appropriate gift ♥️

Thanks, everyone. He is at home, not in hospice. I think maybe a mini, rechargeable fan and some fruit or some baked food. He is sleeping a lot, so I think it will be mainly for us to say goodbye and support his family. I am not sure if he is drinking much at this stage, but maybe some oral care would be a good idea. Any suggestions?

I should add, they probably have everything they need at home for him, so the food will be for the family.

I like the mini fan idea, and some baked goods for his family x

How about something like deliveroo or uber eat vouchers? This is more for the family, but it saves thinking about food.