Ive bought my Mum
An armchair exercise bike which she can use for her arms and legs.
A stress ball (not sure who will use that most - her or me) so she can exercise her fingers.
My daughter has bought her a cushion muffler - hmm have I said something rude here I wonder - it is a cushion that you can put your hands inside to keeps warm
We have bought the usual toiletries and lotions and creams for her arms and legs
A lovely fleecy blanket with feet so her feet can stay warm - her extremities get so cold these days even though she doesn't notice it
Still looking for ideas for people who keep asking me what does she want ....so come on all ideas welcome. I have to say it makes me smile that so many want to buy her presents yet none come and visit
My mom moved in with us 2 years ago, and inherited our comforter, etc in her room. So for Chirstmas I had her pick out a new comforter set and some curtians. She said she will feel like she is sleeping in a hotel, she is thrilled! She kept refusing to do this, but now she is so happy she did. Hubs got her a dvd set of John Wayne movies, and some jigsaw puzzles ( they do them together)
Daughter is getting both Moms gift cards for mani pedis.. SIL take MIL for them and FIL gripes about the cost.. but I don;t blame SIL at all.. no one wants to do someone elses nails....more so if it;s not your own mother!
Now she has been doing this for a long time so I have to wonder when apart from one person who takes her to church and brings her home - I really can't fault him (OK so we pay the petrol but he still doesn't have to do it) - that no-one - not the minister, not the other church members, not one of her friends has visited. Most don't even bother to phone less send a card and she wonders why they piss me off.
However they feel absolutely free to criticise and they will pick up the phone to tell me what I am doing wrong (and mention the p word (privilege). I just want to scream at them - put up or bloody shut up. there are over 100 members of that church if just one of them visited her once a month that would be once every 9 years and they can't even manage that - disgusted doesn't come close
Mostly I think they like to have your company more than anything else. When my Mom no longer knew who I was I would just sit and hold her hand and talk about memories of my childhood.
If you have an IPod you can load it with holiday music or music your loved one will recognize.
Hope this helps.
ADCaregivers, well said, and so true. I would never consider even looking at a website when it is, as you write, "pimped", on a caregiving forum. EaseLiving even states she's engaging in a "bit of self promotion."
The terms of use are clear - no advertising.
Your comment on making dough reminded me that years ago it was kind of popular to make cinnamon and spice ornaments for the trees. I think the flour was increased to make them stiffer; I don't remember what made them last longer.
But it's an opportunity for someone to select various holiday cookie cutters, punch them in the dough, put them on the sheet to bake and salivate from the aroma of the spices.
The thought of a 93 year old, or any older age person, hula hooping, is really amusing. Did you know, though, that it's considered a method of slimming one's waist?
Rosie, the photo idea sounds great. Did you know it's an adaptation from a quilting technique? Over a decade ago one of my quilting friends began making quilts for her family from photos provided to her. The photos are scanned into a computer, enlarged and/or tweaked (if you have software such as Photoshop or maybe even Corel Draw was used then), then printed on special fabric which is then used for the quilting squares.
I see that the concept has spread to a commercial entity, which makes it a lot easier for someone who's not a quilter, and doesn't have the time or equipment to make photo squares.
I think the idea of soft fluffy fleecy blankets is a good one for tactile stimulation; it's not the same as petting a dog, but the warmth is comforting, soothing and relaxing.
I'm copying and saving some of these messages; the ideas are so inventive.
Certainly no ornaments, they get tossed into the rubbish bin. And I am putting together a few old photos that I found so that the staff of the R.H. Dementia unit can understand who and what she was now she is back in her teens. She has no idea who all those people are in the photos that are in her room and they get tossed behind the wardrobe. I love the desire for the hula hoop, thanks for the giggle OhJude
Seriously you need to tell your children what you just told us.... that you expect and need to see them and their children. it doesn't have to be every week but certainly once a month would be the right thing to do. However I have to say - and I am only speaking for me now you understand, that if I had to bribe them then I just wouldn't bother BUT I would also administer the punishment posthumously and leave everything to a donkey sanctuary!
Bless you Alice xxx
I think your post would have been appropriate if you had not pimped your online store. All too often stores aimed at this target segment have outrageous mark-ups on items that can purchased from Amazon or other sources much cheaper. I perceive that such niche are designed to take advantage of older person's worries and anxieties.
I could promote my dementia care business on this website. But I don't because the posters know so much more about caregiving than I do. I learn an enormous amount from this site; often other posters give me insight and solutions that I would never come up with in a million years. Of course, I offer my experience in my postings, but it is only one of the many experienced persons who contribute.