When there’s someone you love who is suffering from a long-term illness, it can be hard to know what you should say or do. Even if you visit them and show your support, you may still want to buy them a nice gift of some sort.

We’ve put together a helpful list of some of the thoughtful get well soon gift ideas we really like. All budgets are catered for and so are all tastes.

Home-made Soup

Soup, chicken in particular, has long been associated with having positive effects when we are feeling ill or down. When you consider that and the fact most people appreciate home-made food, you can see just how effective and thoughtful a gift soup would be. Does the recipient have a favourite type of soup? Make them that to show even more how much you care.

What’s more, if you make a large batch of it, they could freeze it and that will sort them out for many meals in the near future.

Arrange to Babysit

You should never underestimate the difference just providing some help can have on someone who is ill or not feeling their best. Not all gifts need to have a price tag.

For example, if they have children that need attention and care, why not offer to babysit them for a few hours? This will help person who is ill or feeling low have a reprieve from some of their responsibilities. This lifted weighted from their shoulders is bound to be appreciated.

You could even arrange to take the children out to really give the ill person and even their partner some time to themselves to just recuperate and relax.

Take Care of Some Chores

Following on nicely from the above, you could also offer to do some of the household chores they are possibly unable, or unmotivated to do themselves. A clean and tidy home can help improve the mood of someone who is feeling low or ill and it means it’s one less thing they have to worry about. Even just visiting them once a week and doing a few tasks around the house is a thoughtful way to show you are interested in their well-being.

Handwritten Greeting Card

Something as simple as a nice greeting card, through the post if you don’t live that close to them, with a heartfelt and handwritten note, is a very touching way to remind someone you care. Although it may not seem like much, the card itself is not really what’s important – it’s the thoughts and feelings behind it.

Gift Basket

By far, if its within your budget, one of the best get well gift ideas is a gift basket. This is ideal because there is such a wide variety to choose from in terms of the goods and items you can have included in them. For instance, if they really like fresh fruit, you could send them an incredibly healthy basket, whereas if you are looking to give them a little energy boost and want to appeal to their love of all things sweet, you could get them a tower of tasty snacks ranging from yoghurt covered pretzels to chocolate cookies.