When a friend or a family member is ill, we all want to help him or her. Flowers can show your care and make a hospital room cheerful. However, make sure they are permitted in the patient's room. And there may be dietary restrictions, so don't bring chocolates unless you know the patient is able to eat them. You can also bring books, magazines, or other things to your friend's interests. Consider these guidelines for visiting someone in the hospital: First, don't visit unless you are healthy. Even a common cold can cause serious complications to a patient. Second, confirm that visitors are allowed. Some units only allow certain family members to visit. Finally, limit visits to about 15 to 20 minutes. This is long enough to show your care but not so long as to exhaust your friend. Receiving visitors can take more energy than you would expect. A few people would prefer nothing to be done. They may feel guilty of accepting help, because they feel strongly that every favor must be repaid. So every time, we must think it over carefully.