| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Suzan |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 06:32:42 AM
Ok, Help please. My MIL is now in assisted living with limited space, no hobbies and no outside activities except what the home has going on. I am racking my brain for ideas for her for Christmas this year - does anyone have any suggestions??? |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| La Patite Ferme |
Posted - Nov 24 2008 : 9:10:36 PM
I too was thinking of photo or scrapbook type things. Something they could look at and remember good times with family, plus blank pages to fill in with new pic.
How 'bout a pre-paid phone card so they could stay connected. |
| barnagainkristin |
Posted - Nov 24 2008 : 7:29:57 PM
My grandmother spent her last few weeks in a care center and she always kept a box of tissues next to her bed. There are so many fun patterns for tissue box covers and after all it is the season where many of us need tissues. Good luck choosing the perfect gift.
barnagainkristin |
| Bellepepper |
Posted - Nov 13 2008 : 08:25:59 AM
A gift certificate to get her nails done? Does anyone go to nursing homes to do those kind of services?
Another vote for the bird feeder. Will the staff keep it filled?
Another lap robe? When M-I-L passed away, she had no less than 10 throws. Most of them were still in the box, wrapped in tissue, under the bed. I would make sure it is needed.
Pictures are always good. |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 3:14:02 PM
Oh I love the bird feeder idea! If I am in a place ever where I can have one of those suction cup bird feeders I want one! Also they sell bird houses like that, where you on the window side can see in the bird house I believe. At least it seems like I have seen such. Oh yes, I want that if I ever have to be in one!
And yes decorated entrances to their rooms is usually very popular!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| Nance in France |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 2:58:40 PM
Wow, great ideas, one and all. I was also thinking of a pretty little basket or box filled with an assortment of greeting cards, a nice inkpen, and a book of stamps. Ho Ho Ho, gal pals! |
| emsmommy5 |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 09:50:46 AM
We have an assisted living place in our community that we respond to alot. SOme of the things I have seen in the rooms which might make good gifts.....
One of those electronic photo albums (Kind of like a picture frame that the digital pictures keep rotating in)
A scrapbooked wall calendar- pictures of family, friends, etc. on the "picture" side of the calendar pages
A custom organizer bag for walkers and wheelchairs
Pretty chair cushions
Small embroidered throw pillow
Small potted plant for the window sill
Healthy treat basket
Puzzles (you can have family photos mounted to those too)
A holiday decoration for the door.
Lots of the doorways have adorable standing decorations right outside them- personalized entrances to their home.
Just a few things I can remember over the last couple of visits there.
Farmgirl #208
What are you doing with your dash? |
| acairnsmom |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 4:40:02 PM
I've noticed since I was a kid that older people are cold all the time. My dad is no exception to this and last year I bought him a heated throw. It's like an electric blanket but is smaller more like a lap blanket. I thought it was one of those "dumb" ideas but he told me over and over last winter how much he'd been enjoying it. Also many years ago I bought my Grandmother some leg warmers (remember when those were all the rage in the 80's?). She loved those since she was mainly confined to bed and her legs were always cold.
The other ideas posted are great too! Does she have a window? I've seen homes that have bird feeders at all the windows and I've thought I'd like that if I ever had to move to a facility. I spend lots of times watching the birds flitter and feed at my regular home how much more enjoyable would it be at a home where there is limited activity?
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
| bbteacher |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 1:27:43 PM
Suzanne,
You could make a donation in her name-to any number of worthy charitable organizations; like the Heifer Project, Compassion International, a homeless shelter or food bank, etc. I'm Jewish and many times I will buy a tree/trees in Israel in memory, celebration, commemoration, etc for someone on my list. Usually the organization will send a card acknowledging your gift. You in turn can give this to your MIL. I do this often when I need a gift for someone in an unusual circumstances-what to get that relative that has everything or a loved one in your MIL's situation. And it's great because it truly is a gift that keeps on giving.
Hope this helps,
Bonnie
Farmgirl Sister #333 |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 10:14:53 AM
Oh Cheryl, I like the book and music on CD. Depending on how secure the place is, you could get her a MP3 player! They are really easy to learn to use. And you could put her a ton of music and books on it! (just go to the library and check out a ton! And put them all on the player!). I know some who are quite old who have figured out the MP3 players. If you helped her it wouldn't be too hard.
Also I love OTR-CAT.com a bunch of old time radio shows! Wonderful! I love to listen to them as I do embroidery and such. And it's cheap cds for a TON of hours of shows.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 10:12:16 AM
My great grandma liked to have things so she could do her own crafts, like yard to crochet and such.
Also nice pillow cases you could make! Also if you do that, stitch her name on them visably on top, cause my great grandma had a terrible time with the staff stealing her stuff! (this was almost 30 years ago though, we so wanted her to live with us but the children with the power of attorney wouldn't have it! They were making too much money off having her in that horrible home! I'm sure your grannie's not in one of those, so may not be as needed as it was for mine, but still the name will help on laundry day!).
Any way, I love lace things I have in my windows they are not sun catchers but serve the same purpose, decorate the window, and are batten lace (I believe, maybe belguim lace) they hang up by little suction cup hooks. They are made for the window. I bought them at Silver Dollar City's lace shop but I bet they are sold else ware as well. But, they would be much different then I bet what the other people who live there have. As I never see any other of my neighbors with them, but see a lot of sun catchers, and I like to be different! lol I live in a small apt, on the 12th floor, we have no balcony, so it's really the only "outdoor" decor I can do.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| K-Falls Farmgirl |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 09:01:01 AM
Before he died, My dad loved a paper bird mobile in his room, when he was at the nursing home. I suggest anything that stimulates the mind is good too.. Also music Cds & Books on tape..We made a holiday bulletin board of family pix & holiday trims that we changed each season. The stafff liked this too...
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Cheryl #309
Farm girl sister
Enjoy the little things in life....someday you'll look back and realize they were the big things. |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 08:15:19 AM
I like to give my grandfather *empty* photo albums, so he can fill them with all the snapshots of the grandkids that he takes over the course of the year. If your MIL gets lots of photos sent to her, this might be nice for her. Sometimes I start the album out with a few recent photos from our place.
I've also done the lap robe before for my grandma, as well as really nice socks (wool/silk blend). These all went over well!
If your MIL is very active in the assisted living community, you might try calling a staff person there (is there an activities coordinator?). They might be able to suggest something that all the other ladies in the community have found to be handy, that someone on the "outside" might not think of. Like, just for example, maybe they like to use fancy coupon organizers to keep track of their receipts/free meal tokens/etc. when they go on an outing. Or maybe they all have pretty tote bags strapped to their walkers. Perhaps there's a local business/restaurant that the community residents like to patronize as a group, and you could get her a gift certificate. |
| ranchmama |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 07:50:31 AM
Great ideas! Maybe some soft no skid slippers for walking the halls.. Pretty throw pillows for the bed or chair. A potted plant, a prism to hang on the window
My grandma was in a home for a bit for some rest after surgery and my aunt did the picture collage of all the great grand kids, that was really nice. And I'm just telling you what I did, doesn't mean you have to go out and find rocks! lol But I found a rock here in MT that looked like an owl, my gram's fav, so I sent it and another that looked like it had a hummingbird on it. Anyway, my cousin said she had more fun with that rock than anything. My aunts laughed at me for sending it to her and she got a kick out of it. They were joking of course, saying only I would think to send a rock :).. She took it to the dinning hall and had others helping her find the hummingibrd. It took her mind off why she was there and gave her something else to think about. I didn't expect that when I sent the rocks, I just thought she would enjoy something from MT all the way in Iowa.. So what I'm saying, find something you MIL can share with the others there, an unusual pin to where, and fancy scarf, an interesting magazine subscribtion, pictures drawn by the grandkids, even if it's scribbels. Maybe a silly card game!
HTH
Elise
Every Child Deserves Our Love &
A Bear of Their Own
http://ATeddyForKeeps.org
http://ranchmama.blogspot.com/ |
| soapmommy60543 |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 07:12:52 AM
Love the memory book idea!
Ann in Oswego
Times may be tough, but farmgirls are tougher!
Craft Fasting since October 21, 2008 |
| dkelewae |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 07:11:28 AM
Ann-I was going to suggest the same thing...a nice fleece lap blanket, and they're so easy to make too. Another thing that came to mind was a memory book or photo album filled with pictures of her family.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #272
St. Peters MO
Country Girl trapped in the city!
http://farmgirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
| soapmommy60543 |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 06:39:15 AM
How about a lap robe? It would be a nice, practical gift. Or a basket with some travel size toiletries? Something fancy that she could use with her fave fragrance. We were at the nursing home my BIL works at yesterday, and one of the residents has these really pretty suncatchers in her window. That might be nice also.
Ann in Oswego
Times may be tough, but farmgirls are tougher!
Craft Fasting since October 21, 2008 |
