What Is a Good Gift for a Man in the Nursing Home Who Has Alzheimers?
Saturday, April 24th, 2010 at
2:04 pm
Linda p asked:
Need a gift for man in the nursing home for Christmas! He has alzheimers!
Tagged with: Alzheimers • Christmas • Gift For Man
Filed under: Alzheimers
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
chocolates or fruit basket
How about a nice music CD?
Doesn’t matter. Ten minutes after you leave he’ll forget you were there. Twenty minutes after that he’ll forget what the gift is and what it’s for.
The nurses will steal it that night.
I can’t remember
A notepad or diary or journal so that they can write in it and not lose memories, since it’s a terrifying experience I can imagine.
Do you want the truth?
Hookers or a hooker – start him off on a half hour…
Fruit basket? Chocolates! A journal…. like hell that is what he wants.. oh, sure, he will thank you… but I know what he’ll be thinking:
Why didn’t anybody get me a hooker? I can’t arrange it myself… not any longer…
What? A ‘thumbs down’? For the ‘truth’?
How about a promise to yourself to visit on a regular basis. Or a tape of familiar voices talking on different subjects.
my mom is in one for the same thing……we give her…candies, since she is not a diebetic…non-skid slippers, pajama’s..according to the seasons..fruit basket..for health…..usually it depends on what stage she is in..age….maybe some hankerchiefs….combs/brushes/ sometimes it is not easy to buy for them…maybe some new pics for his wall…..colorful ones to brighten his room. a lap blanket/socks……….goodluck
The best gift is your presence – not just at Christmas, but as often as you can. 5 minutes daily is much better than several hours once a month.
Here are some ideas -
People in long term care are always cold – get him flannel shirts.
Keep in mind that the laundry is super hot to avoid cross-contamination, so take him more shirts on a regular basis and throw the older, thinner ones away.
Also, cotton socks. make sure you put his name across the sole of each sock – they tend to disappear a lot.
I’m a little concerned about the suggestion, above, to take him food. What is his medical condition? If he has high blood sugar, the last thing you want to do is take him sweets.
One other thing – a digital clock with 2″ or larger numerals – easy to see.
First, you need to remember that whatever you get they will forget about it the next day. What they need to your time and presence. Ask him to tell you about his youth, and what life was like back then. These are the memories that they most retain, so place some importance of them. Consider recording and writing them down as a type of history for the younger generations. This affliction is odd in that those with it remember things that happened decades ago more clearly than recent memories.
A personal tape recorder, so you, or his family can record words of endearment for him to listen to when he is alone.