|
Home / Family / Elder Care
Special Gifts for the Elderly
By:Jan Hayner
Sometimes it isn't presents like clothes, home furnishings or appliances that mean the most to the elderly.
At this time of their lives they are trying to get rid of those kinds of things. What is most important for them now are the gifts to help them live life to the fullest and be able to save money too.
They have spent all of your lives raising children, working to feed everybody, buy a home, buy clothes to dress everyone, made all of their own financial decisions and have done a really good job of it.
Now, they find that in the twilight of their lives, that they are becoming forgetful, insecure thinking is taking over their minds and that there are things that they can't do as well as they used to.
They have found that they no longer can live alone, people feel that they can't be trusted to use the stove and someone else has to pay your bills for you.
This is very demeaning for anyone to have to go through. Although for a lot of our Elderly and Senior Citizens there are ways of making it a lot easier on the person to be able to cope with this situation. Your gift to them can be to return the security and independence that they deserve to have in some very easy and unique ways.
Here are a few suggestions that may help:
EXIT COOKING
Let's say that the person isn't able to make a large meal for themselves, or that they couldn't possibly eat as much as they would cook, but that they need a well-balanced meal.
How about giving them a gift certificate so they can go out to eat or set something up with a local restaurant so they can go in to eat and the bill will get paid once or twice a month. They get to go out to eat, have a balanced meal and take the leftovers home and heat in the microwave to eat when ever they choose.
OR another alternative would be to set up meals on wheels for them a few times a week or to go to a Senior Center for a meal.
You can check this out with your local Office on Aging. Don't they deserve to have someone else cook for them after all of the years that they have been cooking, besides that; they will only need to have deli meat, bread, milk and snacks in the house for in-between. This will save them a lot of money and we all know that the elderly are 100% for saving money on a fixed income.
Transportation for the person to the meal site can normally be set up through the meal site or the Office on Aging.
I CAN'T DRIVE
The thought of depending on other people to take you everyplace that you want to go is one of the reasons the elderly continue to want to drive. Now, if they know that they can get from point A to point B all by themselves and it isn't going to be expensive and they can do this all on their own, they don't mind not driving, a matter of fact, most of them look forward to the idea.
Get them a monthly bus pass, teach them how to set up transportation using the Seniors Bus or Handicap Bus, get them into a car pool with others from a church or a program that they belong to.
Again, the thought of saving on gas, insurance and maintenance on a vehicle will be a blessing for them.
I DON'T REMEMBER
Sometimes you will find that the Senior Citizen used to love to go places and do things and now they almost seem like they are afraid to leave the house.
It could be because they don't remember the way they used to and are afraid that they won't know how to get back home. No one likes to feel foolish, especially at that age, and most of the time they won't tell anyone their fears.
So, you think of what to do before they ask you about it. Make them business cards (calling cards) to keep with them, with their name address and phone number on. This can be given to people that they would like to have their phone number, to a taxi drive when they are asked where they want to go, or to the person that they are car pooling with.
So the 'calling card' serves more than one purpose. This helps to take the fright away of not remembering their phone number or address. They always have their calling card with them.
WHAT IF I NEED MY FAMILY
An underlying thought with all elderly is; what if something happens when I am out of the house, will someone get my son or daughter?
Give them a typed piece of paper with everyone's name, address, phone number, cell phone number, e-mail address etc. on it, for them to keep in their wallet. You may even want to make a notation next to the name that should be called and in what order in case of an emergency, by numbering it 1-2-3. This way the senior knows that their loved one will be called and they don't have to worry about not remembering a phone number, place of employment or how to contact them.
You may also want to contact your nearest hospital and have your name on file in case there is an emergency. Most elderly don't like the idea of a pocket telephone book because it becomes too confusing for them to follow, just a typed piece of paper so they can see everyone's information on one page is usually self assuring.
Help your Senior Citizen retain their dignity and Independence and have the feeling of control over their lives no matter what their age. They are our older generation and deserve the respect and it is some of the best gifts that you can give them.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: elderly, gift, independence, advice, help, organize, organizing, advice, shopping, senior citizen
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Jan Hayner is creator of Easy Home Organizing at http://www.organizingyourlifetheeasyway.com Get free tips, shortcuts, hints and printables. Order your free pamphlets 50 Things To Do In 10 Minutes or Less and Guiltbusters for Working Moms.
|
|
| Top Elder Care Articles |
- 1). The Benefits Of Continuing Care Retirement Community By : Henry Clark
People nowadays have already realized the importance of saving for the future, especially for their retirement. This is because when they reach their retirement age, all they have to do is to relax and enjoy life together with the financial benefits that they themselves have tried to save little by little.
That is why, when it comes to retirement and the benefits that can be derived from it, people should take the matter seriously.
|
- 2). Managing Caregiver Guilt: 5 Tips To Manage Guilt So Guilt Serves You, Not Imprisons You By : Vicki Rackner MD
Guilt is a common feeling in the landscape of care giving. Guilt can propel you to be the best you can be …or it can immobilize you.
For caregivers, painful feelings -- such as guilt, sadness and anger -- are like any other pain. It’s your body’s way of saying, 'Pay attention.' Just as the pain of a burned finger pulls your hand from the stove, so, too, guilt guides your actions and optimizes your health.
|
- 3). Hearing Impaired? Hearing Aids? Advice for “Deafies” and those who put up with us By : Russ Miles
I have always had a hearing impairment. I was born with a 70% hearing loss in both ears. While I had a mother who was sensitive to my disability, I never believed there was anything wrong wth me. As a child, I refused to wear hearing aids.
When, at 19 years-of-age, I bought one hearing aid, it was as if someone turned the sound up. I felt even more invincible.
|
- 4). Be Prepared For Assisted Living By : John Morris
Assisted living is simply finding help in the form of a care giver or a family member assigned to assist an elder who with illness or diminished mental ability is no longer capable of living an independent life...
|
- 5). What's The Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia? By : Molly Shomer
"What's the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's?" It's a common question, and doctors are some of the best at confusing us. Physicians seem to prefer the word "dementia," possibly because Alzheimer's has become such a loaded word. "Dementia" somehow sounds less frightening to many people, and now even the experts have started using the words interchangeably.
|
- 6). Is Exercise a Natural Sleep Aid for Seniors? By : Isabelle Boulay
There are a number of reasons why exercise, particularly if performed at the right time of day, is considered the most positive sleep aid for seniors. None, however, are more significant than the fact that exercise is a completely natural form of aid. But before discussing why exercise is such a great sleep aid, it is important to examine both the definition of insomnia and the reasons that people suffer from this affliction.
|
- 7). Elder Day Care: A Novel Idea By : Jonesrck
Okay, we all know how hectic life is for people nowadays. We have jobs, kids, social lives, and other things that keep us busy.
People have been questioning for years the ethical argument regarding putting elderly people into nursing homes. Some people think that putting the elderly in places where they can be properly cared for is right, while others think that the abandonment of an elderly person's family just because of the complications is wrong.
|
- 8). The Differences In Elder Care Services By : Susie Drake
Time marches on and so do we. Before we know it, we are older and so are our parents or loved ones. Caring for them and being sure their needs are met become a prime concern especially when they begin to not be able to care for themselves as they used to. This dilemma touches most every family. The thing to avoid is to remain under a veil of ignorance by not understanding your options and waiting until the last minute to make an abrupt and often uniformed decision.
|
- 9). Tips For Seniors By : Wade Gibson
Since January, millions of seniors have enrolled in the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit plan. However, the task of choosing a plan may seem daunting and can often be confusing for seniors even after they have enrolled.
The decision to participate is important, and careful consideration is vital to ensure a plan is chosen that best meets a customer's needs.
|
- 10). Adjusting To An Aging Mind By : Wade Gibson
As our brains age, we're less likely to think as quickly or remember things as well as we used to. Research is now showing how the brain changes and adapts with age. You can use what we've learned and follow a few simple tips to help remember things and avoid scams.
Dr. Denise C. Park, director of the Roybal Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Illinois, explains that the knowledge we gain from life experience can sometimes compensate for other changes in our brains as we age.
|
| New Elder Care Articles |
|
|
|
|
- 3). A Grandparent’s Guide To Choosing Age Appropriate Toys By : P. Davis
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1.3 million children are entrusted to their grandparents every day. Roles of a grandparent include spoiling and enlightening their grandkids with toys they will enjoy. After all, toys are considered to be treasures of childhood. With this role comes an added responsibility to make sure that grandchildren stay safe and enjoy a toy that is age-appropriate.
|
- 4). Managing Caregiver Guilt: 5 Tips To Manage Guilt So Guilt Serves You, Not Imprisons You By : Vicki Rackner MD
Guilt is a common feeling in the landscape of care giving. Guilt can propel you to be the best you can be …or it can immobilize you.
For caregivers, painful feelings -- such as guilt, sadness and anger -- are like any other pain. It’s your body’s way of saying, 'Pay attention.' Just as the pain of a burned finger pulls your hand from the stove, so, too, guilt guides your actions and optimizes your health.
|
- 5). Emergency Response Systems: My Experience By : R. Kingsley
One of the best ways to protect the indepencence of an elderly parent, or parents, as the case may be, is to set them up with an emergency response system.
First of all, the emergency alert system will give them the freedom of living alone because help, when needed, is only the push of a button away.
I know, because my 86 year old mother slipped and fell in her bedroom just a few feet away from her phone, but could not get to it to dial for help.
|
- 6). Stair Chair Lift: A Modern Day Wonder By : Teresa Lang
Have you even been to one of those historical shrines or perhaps ancient wonders where in you need to walk up more than 200 steps on the stairs, just to catch a glimpse of history? Whew! I’ve been to one. But going back is the farthest thing on my mind. In fact, had I known it was too be that exhausting, I would not have given it a time of the day. But what if you had no choice but to climb that flight of stairs…and everyday nonetheless!
Alright, so maybe not the 200 steps, at least a dozen or less.
|
- 7). 9 Quick Tips To Buying A Stair Lift By : Elizabeth Longbourne
Stair lifts provide more than just a means of getting from the downstairs floor of a house to the upstairs - they also represent mobility and independence to an ageing generation.
As time goes by, it is only natural that we find certain everyday activities, such as climbing the stairs, becoming increasingly difficult. For someone with limited mobility due to injury, disability or chronic diseases such as arthritis and angina installing a stair lift is a low-cost common sense solution.
|
- 8). Curved Stair Lifts – An Overview By : Elizabeth Longbourne
If you are looking to purchase a stair lift and are worried about getting one to fit because you have a curved, odd shaped staircase or multiple landings – dont be! Curved stair lifts are just what you need.
No matter what the configuration or layout of your staircase, stair lifts can be tailor made to the size and shape of virtually any staircase easily coping with bends, straights and landings.
|
- 9). Easy Movement with Chair Lifts By : Barney Garcia
Chair lifts are useful in enhancing the mobility of the people with handicaps. There are various types of chair lifts in the market, ranging from those that raise the chair to another level for stairs or vehicles to lifts that raise a person to a level that will allow them to stand. The most popular chair lifts are those that help people in wheelchairs get up the stairs.
|
- 10). Are you or your elderly parents moving to an Apartment from a house? Here's Help By : Karin Ahrman
So you're moving to an apartment, what do you do with all your favorite things you can't live without? Are your parents elderly and you're downsizing them? Sure you can't take everything, but you probably can manage your/their most valued pieces.
Admit it. We all have items that are precious to us and must be in the interior of our homes to make it home! Lets say Grandmas "chamber pot".
|
|
|
