Visiting a loved one in a nursing home is key to making their stay comfortable and fulfilling. However, after a year or more, knowing how to make each visit feel special and exciting can become difficult.
With the right tips, however, you’ll be having a blast every time you go to visit your loved one. And what better way to make a trip feel memorable than a thoughtful, special gift? To give you some potential ideas, here are nine perfect gifts to bring your loved one during a visit to their nursing home:
9 gifts for your loved ones in the nursing home
1. Valuable keepsakes
When you want to help an elderly loved one feel nostalgic and excited, sparking a happy, warm memory of theirs is always a safe bet. Finding valuable keepsakes they have left with another loved one can help you do just this.
Bring the keepsake on your next visit, and you’ll see your loved one open up to tell you all about its importance, which will make your trip a guaranteed home run.
2. A good book
You’re not always going to manage trips at a super frequent, consistent rate. To keep your loved one entertained and their mind healthy, a few things can be as useful as an engaging, quality book.
Look into their tastes, and find a book that you know they haven’t read, and you’ll provide them with a great way to pass the time in a healthy, satisfying fashion. Just make sure you bring a bookmark!
While books are a thoughtful and enriching gift, sometimes complementing them with something else can round out the experience. For avid readers, consider assembling one of the popular gift baskets that include gourmet snacks, a selection of teas, or artisanal chocolates, perfect for enjoying during their next reading session. It’s a considerate and charming way to enhance their reading time, ensuring they have everything they need for a cozy afternoon delving into their new book.
3. The gift of music
Few things can keep the mind young, active, and healthy in the way music can. Music is scientifically proven to invoke healthy, maintenance-boosting tasks in the mind, after all.
Finding some of your loved one’s favorite music, and making them a playlist (or even bringing some physical media for them to enjoy in an old-fashioned way), will make your next visit an absolute blast.
4. New clothes
A comfortable, sharp-looking piece of clothing is a great way to boost your spirits (no matter what your age is). Determine whether you want to grab a comfortable bathrobe or casual outfit, or if you want to bring them something a bit more snazzy, and you’ll be on the right path to finding the perfect clothing to gift your elderly loved one.
With some luck, you’ll make your loved ones the talk of the community for a long while after you visit them with this thoughtful gift.
5. A healthy snack
Delicious, hearty, and mind-healthy snacks are ideal for nursing home patients. Bringing the latest crazes in healthy snacks for your loved ones to try every time you visit them will keep them feeling excited about your next visit.
Additionally, as you find snacks they love, you can bring them a new stash of the stuff every time you go on a snack run for them. Maybe you’ll even discover a fun new treat they can enjoy with their daily coffee!
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6. Snazzy decorations
Living in a new space can be difficult, but with the right decorations, you can make a new place feel like home in no time. When helping your loved one transition into a nursing home, or if you’re simply trying to help them feel like their space is getting spiced up a snazzy, memory-filled decoration is the perfect gift. You’ll love seeing their faces light up when you help them set up a stellar decoration.
7. The perfect pair of slippers
Slippers are one of the most common clothing items nursing home citizens use day after day. A perfect pair of non-slip slippers can serve them well whether they are hanging out in their room, socializing in the community area, or taking a refreshing shower.
This thoughtful gift will keep their feet warm, and their bones comfortable, and will help them avoid any potentially dangerous, or even legally-complicated falls during their stay in the nursing home.
8. Personal health and upkeep items
Nursing home patients have the ability to buy many of their toiletries and other upkeep gear from the home itself. However, the stock available to them can often be fairly limited and plain.
Bringing them a gift of their favorite items in this area, and perhaps even ones that are personalized to their tastes can be a great way to make them smile widely during their day-to-day lives.
9. A digital photoframe
Photo frames are fantastic for bringing a smile to your face day after day. Getting to look upon wonderful memories of your life, your loved ones, and your past achievements helps you keep your identity intact, after all.
However, in the new tech-fueled landscape, you can provide your loved one with something even better: a digital photo frame. You’ll amaze them with constantly updating, cycling photos for them to enjoy and marvel at.
After you teach them how it functions, they can even find their own fun ways to make the best out of this cozy piece of technology.
Every visit can be a blast
With these nine ideas, you can make every visit to your loved one’s nursing home absolutely stellar. From invoking cherished memories to giving them a taste of a potentially new favorite snack, there are endless ways to keep your loved one feeling young and happy. After all, this is simply the next amazing step on their life’s journey!
