RX for Boredom

By Sensible Life Editorial Staff
Published June 13th, 2009

DOLLAR STORE STYLE

by
Marlene Alexander
www.dollarstorestyle.com

Having to spend time in hospital is not something we look forward to and, after we are on the mend, it can be downright boring. After all, how much daytime TV can one person stand? If you know someone who’s stuck in a hospital bed but on the mend, you can help to relieve the boredom by gifting the patient with things to help pass the time. Something that helps to occupy the mind will make time pass more quickly. Here are a couple of suggestions.

Does the patient like to do puzzles? Dollar stores have a wide assortment of puzzle books for only a buck each. Here, we’ve assembled two such books, a set of mechanical pencils, a writing tablet and a pair of pens. If your patient’s got all that time on their hands, why not suggest that they write letters the old-fashioned way? Or maybe there are some lists to make of things they want to remember when they get out of the hospital. A note pad is also great to have handy for jotting down questions the patient wants to remember to ask the doctor on his/her all-too-brief visits to their bedside. Everything seen here cost a total of $5.

When thinking of amusements for hospital-bound kids, it’s probably best to avoid a lot of small pieces, especially with the very young. Here’s an idea for an older child that includes a book of construction paper, safety scissors, a coloring/activity book, crayons, pre-sharpened pencil crayons and a 3D puzzle made of foam. All of it can be tucked neatly into a reusable vinyl tote bag or this kid-sized art portfolio that has a double zipper and opens on three sides. This portfolio comes in a variety of kid-friendly Disney designs. The total cost of this get-well prescription is only $7. Naturally, you will want to vary the contents of such a gift to suit the age and sex of the recipient.

Try playing cards, books, games, stuffed toys or any number of tedium relieving stuff from your friendly neighborhood dollar store. Such things will help your patient to have patience until they can get back to normal, once again.

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