20+ tips for strengthening a family bond during a hospitalization

We understand how important it is to visit loved ones during a hospitalization, especially a child’s. However, for the safety of our patients, families, physicians and staff, CHOC strictly enforces limited visitation on our campus during times such as flu season and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our pediatric psychologists and child life specialists have teamed up to offer families the following creative ways to stay connected throughout a hospitalization:

1. Phone calls and video chats are often the easiest ways to stay in touch with a hospitalized loved one. If a patient does not have access to a smart device, the Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Department can make special arrangements.
2. Explore new apps to stay in touch – does the child or teen in your life love using WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Hangouts, Snapchat or other apps? Download their favorite app as an easy way to stay in touch their preferred way.
3. Send an e-card to a patient at CHOC Hospital.
4. Use the voice recorder on your smartphone to sing your child’s favorite song, read them a short story, or tell them goodnight or good morning. The parent or guardian who is at the child’s bedside can play the messages on your behalf.
5. Write to each other in a journal. The child can write a note or draw a picture, and then send the notebook home with the visiting caregiver. Any family members who are at home and unable to visit the hospital can write messages or draw photos in the notebook, and the visiting caregiver can bring it back to the hospital for the child to read.
6. Assign clinical family liaisons to update non-visiting caregivers or other family members on the patient’s status or call them during rounding.
7. Family members who cannot be at a patient’s bedside may be comforted by visualizing the space their loved one is in. CHOC has a library of experience videos that can help family members – whether preparing for a visit themselves or not – learn more about CHOC.
8. Setting up a CaringBridge page can help families share updates and photos with loved ones near and far.
9. Use Zoom’s whiteboard feature to draw pictures together, write a story or play Pictionary.
10. Use an online game sharing app to play your favorite board game together online. If a child doesn’t have a laptop available during their hospital stay, their child life specialist can help secure one to borrow.
11. Pick a craft – anything from painting to decorating a coaster – that all family members can do together via Zoom or video call.
12. Create a family gratitude journal, where each family member picks three things that they are grateful for every day. Share them with each other via a notebook that is carried from home to the hospital by the visiting caregiver, or with a free journaling app.
13. Do a scavenger hunt via video chat with different family members. You can each try to find certain items in your spaces that start with a specific letter.
14. Create coping boxes that kids can use when they feel sad or worried. Some items to consider adding are bubbles, coloring pages, Play-Doh and fidget spinners.
15. Play a virtual game of Simon Says.
16. Have family story time through video chat. You can do this at bedtime so family members not at the child’s bedside can participate in their bedtime routine.
17. Have a virtual, interactive watch party for your favorite TV show or movie using Netflix Party or Disney+’s GroupWatch. These services allow you to synchronize your show or movie with friends and family, and chat while you’re watching.
18. Create and send a personalized Build-A-Bear with a special “get well soon” message.
19. Create virtual rooms together using Google Slides. Add furniture, people and links to different activities or games. There are many helpful and free tutorials online for creating these rooms.
20. Create video diaries to keep each other updated on what you’re doing throughout the day – it could be something exciting or mundane. Share with each other via social media or use a free app to string together your video snippets throughout the day. There are also free apps that will allow you to create a calendar showing a photo of something fun or unique you did each day.
    

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