Any brilliant gift ideas for older gMa's?

carrierrie

My dh's gma is in her late 80s and in a nursing home.  Her room is tiny and she only has a couple of tiny shelves for pictures and such.  I'm at a loss of what to get her.  I was thinking about getting her a nice blouse for when she has company or when we take her out, but now I'm thinking it's not really that thoughtful of an idea.  Any ideas?

AdaraMarie

My DH's grandma is in a nursing home too.  In the past we have gotten her flowers or a photo calendar of the family.  I don't know what we are doing this year.  I am leaving it up to DH. 

The year I remember the best is when we came right to visit her Christmas weekend around lunch time and brought her homemade food (lasagna).  I think she really liked to get "outside food".

Jeep Doll

My grandmother always says "I don't need more "stuff".  She shops all.the.time, too.  hahaha

I was having a hard time this year, but since she is losing her hair, she loves wearing head scarves.  I made her some, but I'm sure you can find some cute ones to buy.

sara_c

I'd send her flowers or a plant for her room.  Maybe something evergreen that will give the scent of Christmas?

 

vansgirl68

DH's Great Gma is in her mid 80's and we got her a family photo calendar...  She always says she doesn't need anymore "stuff".

BSweet823

All of our grandparents are in tiny nursing home rooms also.  I'm going to make the salt dough handprint ornaments for them, each with DD's handprint and a little piece of ribbon so it can hang.  I know that they will love it, it's small, and they can hang it all year if they want.  I did something similar last year for DH's mother and she has it hanging in her kitchen in the window.

 

PennyCandy

What about a nice blanket/quilt/comforter for her bed? The ones they used in the nursing home I worked at were ugly and rough. My step-mom likes bath stuff since they use the cheapest multipurpose soap they can find and don't usually have separate shampoo/conditioner. I usually get her a gift basket of treats too. Last year's was from Wine&Country Gift Baskets and had a bunch of different chocolate it in.  

ilovedpp

My Gma is also in a nursing home.  I'm going to get her a little handtowel for her bathroom I think, my mom suggested she needed one.  In the past, I've always gotten her a box of See's chocolates (she loves those things), or some nice hand lotion.  She also used to go to McDonalds with her girlfriends once a week for breakfast so getting her a McD's giftcard was fun (although she doesn't go anymore).  Are there any fun stores or resturants she goes to nearby?  Last year I got her a nice set of pretty notecards (blank inside) and envelopes and put stamps on the envelopes for her.  She loves to write people notes since she doesn't use the phone or email much.

Pesky

I usually give a bunch of smaller things that I know she needs and wrap them up so she has lots of things to open.  Puzzle, calendar, emery boards, fun holiday kleenex boxes, lotion, even excedrin!  My mom has put those things in a stocking for my grandparents before with candy and such and they had the best time going through their very own stockings.  The big gift for her is a GC to the continuing care place's beauty shop so she can get manicures and pedicures as well as getting her hair done.  I think a blouse is a nice gift as well -- that's something I got my other grandmother in the nursing home and she loved it.

azuremama

I am a big fan of non-stuff gifts, especially for older people.  Can you make a date to take her for breakfast or to a play?  My grandparents love to go see concerts, especially old big-band stuff.  Would there be another outing you could take her on? 

Or maybe a magazine subscription or some books? 

maddie80

Ditto azuremama on the dates for outings.  Or, a digital picture frame that you continue to update and reload with new family pics is nice.  It doesn't take up a lot of space, and she can always have "new pictures" of her family and friends.

carrierrie

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas!  We get to see her quite a bit since she lives in a community within 10 minutes of our house so we get to do lunch, visit her or bring her to our house pretty regularly despite her being wheelchair bound.  We went ahead and went with a nice blouse and card designed by dd.