I’d suggest something like “To Kill A Mockingbird” or “Peyton Place,” maybe even excerpts from “Gone With the Wind,” or something like that. Granted, they’re not short, but the familiar can be comforting when one isn’t feeling well, and some older people recall these stories from when they were first published.
Columns by the likes of Dave Barry or Lewis Grizzard might appeal, and those are short and sometimes amusing.
Or, there’s always Calvin & Hobbes. That makes everyone feel good.
I like what you’re trying to do, and bless you for helping him.