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Raising the mood of hospitalised nan

2

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  • Bethankim
    Bethankim Posts: 1,030 Forumite
    A few ideas i used to do when visiting people in their homes, but could be used for you nan.

    pick her brains for family memories and write them down, reminiscence work is fabulous and you find out all sorts of things you may not know. if you have anyold photo's take them in and get her to recount her life..will give her something to think about and tell you when you go in each time

    the hand massage is a lovely idea.

    taking in the paper and having a chat about it..

    can she knit and can you, if she can ask her to teach you. or sewing, just a little thing she can show you how to do,even if you never take it up.

    did she enjoy cooking,pick her brains..bascially keep her brain active. involve her in your life in some way, possibly a oh nan im thinking of decorating but cant think what to do, bring in some mags etc so she can chat about it.
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  • pigpen
    pigpen Posts: 41,152 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    How about her close family members goin in for a 'picnic' ? Everyone takes some of her favourite foods in and some pop.

    Plan a grand day out for when she comes home

    I'd say arrange a 'kissogram' type thing.. but that might do more harm than good lol

    Could she have some music?

    Does she have an old friend she hasn't seen in a long time you could collect and take to visit her?

    Building a book of her 'memories' is always a lovely thing to do.. her family that has long since passed and old friends and new ones and new family members.. build a family tree!
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  • tandraig
    tandraig Posts: 2,260 Forumite
    edited 26 February 2010 at 7:07PM
    also - has she had her hair done while in hospital? if not could you arrange something with the ward sister? either for you to do it or a travelling hairdresser? I remember when i was in hospital even though my hair was clean, i never felt it looked 'presentable' and would have loved someone to style it for me!
  • ailuro2
    ailuro2 Posts: 7,540 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Audio books on an old sony walkman, nice and simple to operate, and I bet some of her hospital buddies will have these too, so they can swop.

    Ebay or preloved if you don't want to risk borrowing from a library and the audio books going walkabout.

    Take a big box of old pictures in and go through them - but make them ones from when you were small,not ones where half the people in them have passed on.;) It'll get a conversation going about something more than the weather and what she had for lunch that day.
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  • sillyvixen
    sillyvixen Posts: 3,640 Forumite
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    how about a rose plant - when i was in over a week my friend sent me a potted rose rather than cut flowers - the nurses were bolwed over and kept it watered - hospitals are often so warm that cut flowers dont last as long as at home!! i took it home and eventually planted it my mums garden as it needed to be put out and i was in a rental i was not planning on staying in.

    my rose was so much more appreciated than a flower arrangement and there is also the promise of taking it home and looking after it untill it can go into the garden.
    Dogs return to eat their vomit, just as fools repeat their foolishness. There is no more hope for a fool than for someone who says, "i am really clever!"
  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 46,903 Forumite
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    Are mobile phones allowed on the ward? When dad was in, he sometimes used to get us to dial his girlfriends for a chat. (Mum knows all his girlfriends!)

    Definitely get other people in to visit, as long as she doesn't think you're doing it because it's their last chance to see her! :rotfl:

    Take a book of poetry and read a few together?

    Oh, and Dad always had to know how the Spurs were doing. Does she follow sport of any kind? Or X-factor or anything like that?
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  • Has the family done anything special since she's been in? With pictures that you could show her?

    Does she have a favourite author that you could take down to her and read to her/let her read if she wants?

    Heck, just take her some presents. Everyone loves presents!
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  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 46,903 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Another thought is singing! Does she have any old songs she'd like to sing with you, or on CD?
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  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,571 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    What a lot of lovely ideas! With four elderly parents between us, I'm sure all the advice will come in handy at some point.
  • margaretclare
    margaretclare Posts: 10,789 Forumite
    Not all of us wrinklies like bingo!!!

    Things to listen to - audiobooks on an iPod?

    Nice smellies - toiletries. I particularly appreciated these when I was in hospital, to counteract other hospital-based smells, and to make me feel attractive and feminine again.

    It's difficult to stay clean enough - ask if they'll let you wheel her to the shower, wash her hair and make her feel beautifully clean. This again was something I particularly appreciated.

    Not sweets and biscuits!
    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Æ[/FONT]r ic wisdom funde, [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]æ[/FONT]r wear[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ð[/FONT] ic eald.
    Before I found wisdom, I became old.
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