What to Know Before Sending Flowers to Someone in Hospital
Being in the hospital is no fun. To be in a hospital means you’re not well, to begin with, but when you add boredom and loneliness into the mix it’s easy to see how spending some time in the hospital can easily lead you to feel down in the dumps.
Which is why sending flowers to someone you care about in hospital can really boost their spirits. Knowing that people back in the real world are thinking about you and care enough to send flowers makes the experience a little more bearable.
A recent study by Harvard psychologist Nancy Etcoff also reinforces this notion. She found that when people were surrounded by flowers they felt more compassion towards others, have lower levels of depression and even felt less anxious. All of these are things that hospital patients could do more of, so choosing to send flowers really is a great idea. But there are a few things to be aware of before you shoot off a bouquet of your favorites.
Before you do anything it’s often a good idea to call the hospital and ask a few questions. Start by confirming the patient’s room and ward number. Hospitals are busy places and if the room number is incorrect then there’s a decent chance that the flowers won’t find their way to the right person. You’ll also want to confirm that the patient is still in hospital as we have heard of cases where they have been sent home early and missed the flower delivery. This can be a little extra work, but it’s worth it if you’re going to the effort of spending your hard earned cash on flowers.
Next, ask if flowers are allowed at all. Most hospitals do allow flowers, but there are some that do not. Most hospitals are stricter regarding flowers in the ICU, so this is something else you’ll want to confirm before you send off any flowers.
Because hospitals are full of sick people, the last thing they want is flowers triggering allergies, so generally odorless flowers are best. Some hospitals even have bans on certain types of flowers (such as lilies) that release a lot of pollen and aggravate allergies. Again, check with the hospital and if you’re unsure, you can always ask your florist.
The final question to ask the hospital is whether or not they supply vases. Many do not and of the ones that do, often they’re in short supply, so providing a box or a vase of your own along with the flowers makes their lives a lot easier. If you do need to supply your own vase, make sure that it’s not fragile. The last thing you want is a glass vase to be knocked over and to shatter everywhere. A better option is something stable (so it doesn’t fall over in the first place) and something made out of plastic or metal (so if it does fall over it doesn’t break). Fancy glass vases might look pretty but they’re just not practical in a hospital setting.
Another consideration to make is the size of the bouquet. If the person in the hospital is close to you then you might be tempted to send a huge arrangement to express how much you care for them, but space in hospital wards is usually quite limited, so large arrangements are often not practical. Instead, put a little time into thinking about how to make it personal. Does the patient have a favorite flower? Is there something that has special meaning to both of you? Just seeing something there is enough to remind them that people care, so keep the arrangements small.
If this sounds like a lot of work just to send flowers to a loved one in the hospital, relax. Most decent florists are experienced at sending flowers to hospitals, so you can often ask your local florist for advice. Some florists like Flowers Across Sydney based in Australia have even created a guide that has all the information you need for sending flowers to hospitals in Sydney.
