Good Gifts For Caregivers
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Caregivers need love too!
I had a friend who cared for his ill father for 12 years. We were (and are still) very close friends. I never knew what he was going through with the responsibility of caring for someone who was dependent upon him - he never said much of the trials and tribulations nor did he ask for help.
As I walk the same path of being the primary caregiver for my totally adorable 94 year old Mom, Gertie, I now know some of what he was experiencing. And, unlike my friend, Jeff, I can't walk this path alone. I require support from others - both paid and not.
This article came to me as I was looking for something to make for dinner last night and was remember how special it was when my brother and sister-in-law came over recently and relieved me of dinner duty. They brought all the food, cooked, entertained and cleaned up. Although I was still there tending to my Mom, the break in our routine was much appreciated and I didn't have to be responsible for dinner too! Double bonus!
The below gifts for caregivers are things that I think mean the most to someone who is responsible for the care of another. I'm blessed that my Mom is easy to care for (mostly...) but there are things I wish I'd gotten or knew along the way. The below items will make your favorite caregiver's day much brighter.
And, for more reading, check out my other caregiver articles such as:
Anatomy of a caregiver - what makes me tick
Taking a cruise with the elderly - things you MUST know
Senior citizen gift ideas
Helping the bedridden
As I walk the same path of being the primary caregiver for my totally adorable 94 year old Mom, Gertie, I now know some of what he was experiencing. And, unlike my friend, Jeff, I can't walk this path alone. I require support from others - both paid and not.
This article came to me as I was looking for something to make for dinner last night and was remember how special it was when my brother and sister-in-law came over recently and relieved me of dinner duty. They brought all the food, cooked, entertained and cleaned up. Although I was still there tending to my Mom, the break in our routine was much appreciated and I didn't have to be responsible for dinner too! Double bonus!
The below gifts for caregivers are things that I think mean the most to someone who is responsible for the care of another. I'm blessed that my Mom is easy to care for (mostly...) but there are things I wish I'd gotten or knew along the way. The below items will make your favorite caregiver's day much brighter.
And, for more reading, check out my other caregiver articles such as:
Anatomy of a caregiver - what makes me tick
Taking a cruise with the elderly - things you MUST know
Senior citizen gift ideas
Helping the bedridden
One of the best gifts you can give a caregiver is the gift of time.
It's quite difficult sometimes to get a moment to yourself when you're a caregiver. And, if you're a primary caregiver like I am, the moments when I can get away are precious and few.One of my all time favorite gifts is when the most adorable man in the world (that would be my boyfriend, John), tells me to go upstairs at 8 pm and he'll put my Mom to bed at 9. This is such a bonus to me it's hard to explain. It's also kind of hard to explain exactly why it brings me to tears the times he does this. But, it does. He'll also spare me once in a while in the morning and give her breakfast #1 at 7 and put her back to bed so I can sleep in until breakfast #2 at 8:30. What a gift.
Giving the gift of time is easy and it doesn't cost you anything. Show up one night and give your favorite caregiver the night , or a few hours, off. You'll never know what this gift means to one who is in charge all of the time.
A good tote bag is the perfect gift for a caregiver
After Mom's recent fall (11/11/11) and subsequent hip surgery and nursing home rehabilitation, I've determined that a great tote bad is very necessary. I'm always bringing food, laundry, etc back and forth to the nursing home for her - sometimes several times a day. I didn't have a good tote bag but found this one on amazon that I'm going to order.
To read more about Mom's rehab, visit my Squidoo article: Adjusting the elderly to rehabilitation for a broken bone.
Could not locate item B004RJLQ7Q. Please try again.Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.
To read more about Mom's rehab, visit my Squidoo article: Adjusting the elderly to rehabilitation for a broken bone.
Mom and her "therapist" in rehab
Additional articles you might like about caregiving
and other stuff...
I write what I know and, what I know at the moment, is, thankfully, how to keep my Mom healthy and happy and make dessert shooters. In fact, please come visit me at the following links:My caregiver and elder care article directory.
My blog documenting My Travels with 94 year old Mom, Gertie.
Dessert Shooters - the newest craze in mini desserts.
Some people who love my mama...
Brother Ron and family visiting Gert
Relieve the caregiver of some cooking duties
If you don't have the time to go over and spend an evening making a meal, how about preparing some meals in your own kitchen, freezing them and dropping them off? Freeze meals in individual portions for ease of serving and less waste. A vacuum sealer works perfectly in this scenario. I've had a vacuum sealer for years. There's rarely a week that goes by that I don't use it to seal meals. Meals will last up to 1 year in the freezer when sealed properly.Make sure to label the meals with a sharpee so that the contents are clearly marked. Also, before giving this gift to a caregiver, check for any dietary restrictions. In our case, Mom's on a low sodium diet so I need to know how much sodium is in the items I freeze. I usually just mark them on the front of the package too.
It's so nice to open the freezer and find something "different' for Mom.
Help your favorite caregiver by vacuum sealing some meals
Not only will the caregiver not have to prepare meals, but the elderly person might like a bit of variety. I know that I tend to cook the same things over and over so having "different" foods is a welcome break from the normal routine for my Mom.
Gift cards are always a nice thank you for your favorite caregiver
Gift cards are a great gift for any caregiver and are much appreciated - particularly the Spa Finder gift card! What caregiver doesn't need to be pampered with a nice manicure and pedicure once in a while. Go ahead and splurge - get two - they're small...
Give caregivers the gift of silence!
I can only listen to so many "who's the daddy shows" (that's what Mom calls all of the judge shows on TV....).
The same night that I was spared making dinner, my brother and sister-in-law walked in with this invention that totally changed my life! My Mom's hearing is not what it once was so the volume on the TV can curl my toes. But, no longer! TV ears to the rescue!
TV ears are small wireless earphones that hang from one's ears. It's possible to mute the TV totally (bless you who ever invented these things) but Mom can still hear the TV fine. The TV ears have their own volume so, depending on the level of deafness, almost everyone can hear the TV clearer and louder through the things. As a nice side note, I can hear her call me as she doesn't have to compete with the TV any longer.
The battery on TV ears lasts up to 10 hours. Balance can be variated between the left and right ear to adjust for different hearing levels.
As I type this, it's a Saturday morning and Mom is watching the news with the TV ears. I feel like I'm on a mini-vacation as I'm listening to my favorite soothing music with my iPod.
I highly recommend TV ears. They are SO worth the price.
The same night that I was spared making dinner, my brother and sister-in-law walked in with this invention that totally changed my life! My Mom's hearing is not what it once was so the volume on the TV can curl my toes. But, no longer! TV ears to the rescue!
TV ears are small wireless earphones that hang from one's ears. It's possible to mute the TV totally (bless you who ever invented these things) but Mom can still hear the TV fine. The TV ears have their own volume so, depending on the level of deafness, almost everyone can hear the TV clearer and louder through the things. As a nice side note, I can hear her call me as she doesn't have to compete with the TV any longer.
The battery on TV ears lasts up to 10 hours. Balance can be variated between the left and right ear to adjust for different hearing levels.
As I type this, it's a Saturday morning and Mom is watching the news with the TV ears. I feel like I'm on a mini-vacation as I'm listening to my favorite soothing music with my iPod.
I highly recommend TV ears. They are SO worth the price.
TV Ears 2.3 MHZ Wireless Headset System with 10 Replacement Ear Tips
Amazon Price: $159.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
I'm not the only one who loves TV ears
Here's what some bloggers say about TV ears.
- At D10, Tim Cook speaks his mind (video)
- ... ears tend to perk up. After all, Apple has been the dynamo of the digital world for some time now, setting the pace with products from iTunes up through the iPhone and iPad and, so rumor would have it, perhaps eventually a newfangled Apple TV.
- Bleeding Edge TV 451: YurBuds Ironman Inspire Pro headphones
- These earbuds are guaranteed to stay in your ears, no matter what you're doing! We bring you a look at YurBuds headphones in this episode. YurBuds claims to be the one earbud that is guaranteed to stay in your ear, regardless of the activity that you ...
- Commercials: Annoying--and Louder than Regular TV, Too!
- Viewers have complained about loud TV commercials since the 1950s, but advertisers paid no heed, figuring people couldn't ignore your message if you screamed it in their ears. In the 1960s the FCC began warning broadcasters to lower the volume but made ...
Poll Module
I'm curious about how many people who read this lens are caregivers.
And, thanks so much to all of my new internet friends who offer so much loving support and advice as I take care of my Mom. Please join me on my blog Gertie's Galavants where I document my travels (or not) with Gertie.
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I wish I'd had these books when I started taking care of Mom
I chose not to have children so, when Mom came home to stay, I was pretty much working from nothing to try and figure out how to care for her. In a lot of ways, having a 94 year old is similar to having a young child - as a child crawls, tottles and walks, I see my mom walk, tottle and now start to move even more slowly.
I wish I'd had someone give me a few of these good resources. Any (and all) would make a great gift for a caregiver.
I wish I'd had someone give me a few of these good resources. Any (and all) would make a great gift for a caregiver.
Caregivers love to smell good.
If you know caregivers who are offended by strongly scented lotions (consider me....), this Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline will be most appreciated. Not sweet and not strongly scented, a dab of this lotion is sure to delight anyone.
Omnia Crystalline by Bvlgari for Women. Body Lotion 6.8 oz / 200 Ml
Amazon Price: $49.44 (as of 05/31/2012)
I use this on my mom after a shower - it keeps her smelling fresh for days.
Flowers are always a welcomed addition
Here's a tip though that doesn't go just for giving flowers to caregivers but, really, giving flowers to anyone:
Don't come in the house with a bunch of flowers that then have to have their stems trimmed, a vase found and arranged. You've just created more work for the caregiver or the host. So, unless you're prepared to do the work, do us all a favor and buy flowers in a basket or arranged in a vase.
Don't come in the house with a bunch of flowers that then have to have their stems trimmed, a vase found and arranged. You've just created more work for the caregiver or the host. So, unless you're prepared to do the work, do us all a favor and buy flowers in a basket or arranged in a vase.
How about giving your caregiver plants from your garden?
Now, here's a sweet gift which I always appreciate.Even nicer than cut flowers, if you ask me, are flowers for a garden if your caregiver friend has a garden. I have a memorial garden for my Dad and sister that is right outside my Mom's bedroom so she can see it every day. I planted things that reminded us of my Dad such as poker plants (he was quite the gambler) and some blue flowers as his eyes were cornflower blue. My sister loved purple so I have purple impatients and hydrangeas.
Mom and I love this garden and love when friends contribute to it. And, this gift is very easy as all you have to do is split a plant you have and plant it at your loving caregiver's house. What a beautiful tribute and what an appreciated gift. But, remember, you have to plant it!
Note: For some reason, the deer around here eat everything except this garden. I think they must know how very special it is to Mom and me.
Give your favorite caregiver a "half cup of coffee."
Sometimes, it gets so busy around here that a full cup of coffee quickly turns cold. Peggy Hazelton's lens about a half cup of coffee is a great place to stop to buy a special mug for your favorite caregiver. Stop in and give it a read.
And, once you've bought that cool half cup of coffee mug, fill it with any of the below special treats from Amazon.
And, once you've bought that cool half cup of coffee mug, fill it with any of the below special treats from Amazon.
Give your favorite caregiver a set of thank you cards
It's always nice to acknowledge those who go out of their way to relieve us caregivers of some of our duties. A beautiful "Thank You" card is just the right way to go.
Give your favorite caregiver a set of "Thank You" cards and some nice stamps to go along with them. The below are some of my favorites.
Give your favorite caregiver a set of "Thank You" cards and some nice stamps to go along with them. The below are some of my favorites.
Got a suggestion or a good gift to add to this page?
Please talk to me.
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Tipi
Jan 26, 2012 @ 7:16 pm | delete
- Its settled, my Mom is moving in with you when the time comes and I will buy you all the gifts! Your pictures are a joy!
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iCare4uk
Nov 28, 2011 @ 5:51 am | delete
- Really great lens - it's good to remember the carers and show appreciation for all that they do.
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JennySui
Aug 30, 2011 @ 3:33 pm | delete
- Another absolutely wonderful lens! Thank you so much for taking out time to write a lens on such an important topic.
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gottaloveit
Aug 30, 2011 @ 4:49 pm | delete
- Thanks, Jenny. I write what I know and caregiving is what I know the best.
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aj2008
Jul 3, 2011 @ 1:46 am | delete
- The dedication that you show as you care for your Mum has brought tears to my eyes.
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by gottaloveit
I used to spend most of my days caring for my adorable 95 year old Mom, Gertie; she died peacefully in my arms Feb 15, 2012.
During down times (which...
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A great resource book for caregivers
The Good Caregiver: A One-of-a-Kind Compassionate Resource for Anyone Caring for an Aging Loved One
Amazon Price: $1.63 (as of 05/31/2012)
Every caregiver should have a few books on the shelf and this is one of the best around.
Come follow Gert and me on our travels....
...or lack thereof on my blog - Gertie's Galavants!
Additional Squidoo lens about caregiving for the elderly you might like.
