Gifts for special people in long-term care

The most wanted gift on the list for nursing home residents and their caregivers is your gift of frequent short visits. It doesn't matter what you talk about, so long as you remember the dignity and uniqueness of that friend or family member. Days grow long when old skills are lost and familiar surroundings change. Even a few minutes of quietly holding hands or walking can bring much joy.

With the holiday season approaching, you may be looking for other kinds of gifts to cheer the days of someone in a nursing home. Consider the following gifts for residents in a long term care facility.

Small photo albums, the kind with one picture on a page, are especially welcome for those with cognitive losses. Create a label for each picture by describing who it is and what they are doing. Caregivers can "read" the album with the resident.

Plants and flower arrangements should be small because space is very limited in most facilities. Consider whether the resident will be able to care for the plant or whether a caregiver is able and willing to care for it.

Residents who are still able to write cards and letters might appreciate a box of varied greeting cards to keep in touch with old friends.

Grandparents will enjoy an audio tape of grandchildren's messages. Artwork by children is always a highlight for residents.

Large print books and magazines and those with colorful photos can be a great addition to the commons area of your family member's care facility. Musical tapes or CDs that can be used for everyone are welcome gifts, as are travel videos and movie classics.

If your family member or friend is unable to enjoy a gift for him or herself, remember the facility. New games, contributions to a fund for a new rocking chair or physical therapy equipment, activity supplies or artwork, can brighten the lives of all the caring people who work in the facility.

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December 6, 2002