A gift for a mental health inpatient

[SwumMum]

I have a friend going through a horrible time at the moment, separated from friends and family and her children and really poorly in a physical and psychiatric way. She will remain in hospital for Christmas.

I'd love to send her some Christmas love but need to be so careful as to what I send. I'm thinking a book with beautiful illustrations maybe? Like the Lost Words for eg but obviously that's a bit depressing so not that.

Any ideas?

There's a beautiful book called Slow Down. It's uplifting, feels lovely and is beautifully illustrated. It's hardback though and might be worth checking with the ward whether hard backs are allowed. If not, fluffy socks, a soft blanket, nice chocolate, a magazine...

I did loads of colouring and crosswords when I was an inpatient on a psych ward so those could be good. I would have also loved a blanket, loungewear, fluffy socks etc. Also nice snacks. Not a book as I had no concentration to read. I would have loved a picture drawn by my children to put on my wall in my room and also photos of them. Toiletries I would not have been able to keep and also no drawstring in clothes.

I wish your friend well. It took time but I am back home with my DC and doing much better. Will her DC visit over Christmas. It would be nice if she had something to give them even if only a packet of sweets.

Fab ideas and points thank you!

Bullet/mindfulness journal (not wire bound) and nice pens
Reed diffuser - maybe this one?
Slipper boots

I've never been an in patient but when suffering from very bad mental health I wouldn't't have been able to read a book or write in a notebook, or wanted to have a mindfulness journal reminding me just how broken my mind was.

As it is winter, lovely socks, a thick hoodie something like that would be good. Does she read crappy gossip magazines? Judging poorly dressed celebs might be a distraction from how she is feeling.

A reed diffuser wouldn't be allowed, unfortunately.

Another couple of ideas - if she smokes - a vape - but check these are allowed first. The 1st Christmas I was an inpatient my DC bought me a cuddly fox. I've never been into cuddly toys before but I found it really soothing.

Handcream? Maybe a scented set?

It's quite dependent on how she's doing, and there's levels of care with different guidelines on what can be kept/given. (My family have a history of being inpatients.) it's sweet that you want to show you care.

Could you write a letter? Even if she's not well enough now, it can be kept for later perhaps.

Slippers
Wordsearch book
Fancy hot chocolate? Some hospital wards have a little kitchen with kettle that patients have access to.
Magazines

When I was a psychiatric patient someone bought me the most lovely shower gel which smelled so nice and it was the best present ever. Also sweets and chocolate and agree nice comfy warm socks or a cozy jumper or blanket would be good.

When I've given gifts to people who are inpatients on psychiatric wards, things like the small mindful colouring books and decent colouring pens/pencils or those paint by stickers books have been gratefully received. Shower products from Lush shower e.g. shower gel, shower bomb have always been allowed as have fluffy socks.

No glass made products but tubes of body lotion are really nice

Thanks all

I've Amazon primed some colouring patterns, posh pencils and sharpener (not sure this will be allowed but I chose and enclosed children's one for safety).

I will do a further package with some smellies and something soft/snuggly.

Sharpener won’t be allowed.

My brother has been an inpatient since July and he has appreciated bars of Tony’s Chocolonely, baskets of fruit, a down gilet (windows open on the ward for COVID ventilation purposes), Happy Socks, a card preloaded with cash for when he is not restricted by section orders and can venture out to the hospital coffee shop or into the wider community. He is not permitted anything with a blade (sharpener etc).

Also, from a practical point of view, a bottle of laundry detergent (that will be locked away) as my brother’s psychiatric unit has its own laundry facilities and patients are expected to be able to demonstrate functional living skills.

One point, make sure to use gift boxes and bags rather than wrapping paper as everything will be checked and if they have to unwrap things they're likely to hand them to the patient unwrapped, which rather spoils any pleasant surprise. Sadly I didn't know that when my friend was in similar circumstances a few years back.

Check if they allow power banks. At friend's hospital mobile phones and tablets could only be charged behind the nurse's station so sometimes you have to wait for ages for someone to be available to hand items back. So could be a lifeline if phone power is dropping during a conversation.

@SilverDragonfly1

One point, make sure to use gift boxes and bags rather than wrapping paper as everything will be checked and if they have to unwrap things they're likely to hand them to the patient unwrapped, which rather spoils any pleasant surprise. Sadly I didn't know that when my friend was in similar circumstances a few years back.

Check if they allow power banks. At friend's hospital mobile phones and tablets could only be charged behind the nurse's station so sometimes you have to wait for ages for someone to be available to hand items back. So could be a lifeline if phone power is dropping during a conversation.

Good points; I took my mum to visit my brother this week and we took a big bag of gifts (a tonne of Tony’s Chocolonely bars, new socks and pants and T-shirts) and we didn’t even bother to wrap anything as we knew that that they would have to be checked before my brother could take ownership of them.

Also, my brother has been transferred to a new unit which seems to have much stricter rules and he is not permitted to charge his phone in his room; a power bank is a great idea.

I would add that a washable cosy throw or a weighted blanket is something my brother, who has experienced profoundly difficult sleeping issues during his months in hospital, would have appreciated.

Dd currently an inpatient in an adolescent psych ward. She has appreciated a mattress topper, hand cream, drawing things (though she is still doing art GCSE kinda), fluffy socks, thermals and fleece from Uniqlo. Wide legged tracksuit pants. Lounge wear is probably good and she will get some for Christmas.

Just thought, a comfortable sleep mask, as at the peak of my brother’s troubles, nurses would shine a torch into his room at regular intervals to check he was still breathing.

From what I understand charging cables aren't allowed due to strangulation risk so a power bank won't be much use.

@SwumMum

Thanks all

I've Amazon primed some colouring patterns, posh pencils and sharpener (not sure this will be allowed but I chose and enclosed children's one for safety).

I will do a further package with some smellies and something soft/snuggly.

This sounds great

I would have found a soft toy or teddy to cuddle very comforting too

Ear plugs
Eye mask
Decent tea/coffee

(Night nurses do hourly checks during the night which can easily disturb sleep and the tea/coffee options are always grim!)

Sent my niece slippers, dressing gown, onesies, fluffy gillet, hoodies, lounge wear, make up.
She really wanted a swimming costume for privacy when having bath or shower. Maybe because there are no locks on doors? Not sure but she was happy to get them. Also her own little tablet.

I’m interested to read about the tea/coffee suggestions; my brother has only had a lukewarm drink since July, due to general concerns about hot drinks being used for self-harming or weapons purposes.