Public Spark

Call the hospital ahead of time for visiting hours and guidelines

Visiting hours vary depending on the hospital and area the patient is placed. Intensive Care Units will probably have stricter guidelines. Some places don’t allow children, not only for the health of the patient, but also for the health of the children.

Check with the front desk/ security on bringing gifts

Some hospitals don’t allow latex balloons or other products for allergy reasons! Also, there might not be space in the hospital rooms for large gifts. Some rooms might not even be rooms! Beware of curtain dividers.

Find out the locations for eateries, hotels, and restrooms

For many people the hospital is often a new place or even if it isn’t, it can still be like a labyrinth, with arrows pointing in every direction. This alone can be a stressful experience. The good news is that there are staff and information desks available. Sometimes hospitals have information brochures for visitors. Also, if you have access to the internet, you can often look up the hospitals online and get pertinent information ahead of time. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for example has a website with a tab for visitors. It lists directions, area restaurants, guidelines, etc. Getting all this information at once can give you more time to spend with the person you are visiting.