Living in a nursing home in Worcester County or any other place in the country can be tough for some. Some families rarely find the time to visit their loved ones who are residing in nursing homes. If you’re working in one and you happen to see an elderly woman who’s constantly alone, cheering her up with a gift would be a great idea.
But you might be struggling with figuring out what to give to an elderly person. It can be especially hard if you don’t know them that much yet. Fortunately, there are certain gifts you can give that any person in a nursing home will appreciate.
Board games and puzzles
Most elderly people spend lots of time just sitting around, and that can be very dull. Watching TV may be exciting for a little while, but it will be better if you can gather some of the elderly people and let them be involved in an activity where they can all participate together. Bringing board games to a nursing home can help your elderly patients play with each other. As a result, they can build a relationship while they’re having fun. Also, these games can stimulate their brains.
But if one of your elderly patients prefer to be alone, you can also help them out with a word puzzle. A word puzzle is also a great way to stimulate the brain and have fun solo. You can also bring some adult coloring books to the nursing home. Adult coloring books are the rage now, and your elderly patients might like them as well.
Cosmetics
Regardless of age, any person wants to look pretty or handsome. Elderly people are no exception. An elderly grandmother might want to look pretty for her visiting family, or there may be some patients in your nursing home that went in there as a widow or a widower. It’s quite possible that they might have met someone in the facility. They would want to look attractive to other people, so it’s quite appropriate to bring cosmetic products to these people.
Air fresheners
Another gift that you can bring to your elderly patients is an air freshener that can remind them of their previous home. Scents are an effective tool to stimulate your memory. Some elderly patients would like nothing more than to remember their previous homes. Ask your patient what scent she associates with her home, and look for an air freshener that can mimic that smell.
Photo album
Elderly people also want to keep pictures of their loved ones in their rooms. Bring a photo album in which they can keep pictures of their family and friends. There are more technologically advanced ways to store pictures, like a hard drive on a laptop or a smartphone, but most elderly patients prefer traditional means. A photo album will be better.
Music
It can be CDs or an iPod—the important thing is that your elderly patients can still appreciate the music they grew up with. Get them a CD player or an iPod, and let them reminisce great times with the music of their early years.
Visiting a nursing home to cheer up some of the elderly people living there might not be enough. They are alone, and they need something to do. Bring them gifts and make them happy.
