What to buy my nan for her birthday

black-saturn

I'm having a real problem trying to think of something to buy my nan for her birthday. She will be 89 this year. She lives in a home for the elderly. She can't see very well, she can't hear very well, she doesn't like sweets or chocolates, she doesn't like alcohol, doesn't need any money, has a wardrobe full of clothes, never goes out and all she does is sit in her chair all day waiting for the next meal to come. I'm so stuck as to what to buy her. She won't know I've bought her it anyway as she is really unresponsive to anything. She probably wouldnt notice if I didn't buy anything but I'd never hear the last of it from the rest of the family.

So has anybody got any good ideas?

Sus1e

I know you say that she can't hear very well, but how about a portable CD player and some of her favourite books on CD? That way, she can use the headphones and turn the volumn up without disturbing anyone else.

Or, perhaps something homemade like a knitted blanket / homemade hot water bottle cover etc.

Mark7799

Food hamper (home-made so you can include appropriate contents)?

Flowers?

It's hard at that age isn't it!

JULIE

my gran in law has just had her 75th and we had trouble thinkin what to get her so i uploaded some digital photos of our children and put them in a large frame which has a mount for 9/10 photos and it looks great.

we're gonna see her in may so will present it to her then...what about something like that or a mini photo album with family members past and present

lab-lover

What about a bouquet of lillies, theit fragrance is beautiful and everybody likes flowers.xxx

Lavender13

I work in this kind of environment,and have racked my brains,so
How about:
Stockings/tights ,always welcome.
Maybe a footstool, for tired legs.
A soft cushion for her chair.
A photograph of family members to put in her room,maybe in a frame (not too expensive as they can be knocked over accidently).
Some toiletries in her favourite perfume (always a pleasing experience bathing in nice products).
A box of biscuits/cakes to share with her friends over a cup of tea,in celebration of birthday.
A photo album depicting special times/people in her life, with a few little notes underneth,saying who the people are etc ( so others can share the experience with her)
Bed socks .
Or perhaps you could contact the home she is in and ask the staff for ideas as they see her every day,and would probably be only too happy to advise/help.

Oldernotwiser

lab-lover wrote: »

What about a bouquet of lillies, theit fragrance is beautiful and everybody likes flowers.xxx

I'd be careful about giving lilies to someone of that age, traditionally they're associated with funerals and death!

kittykat100

Lillies I find also smell like cats wee!!!

Maybe you could take her for a drive just for a change of scenery for her.

Kittyx

saving-grace

My mother is 88 and I think she has all the material things she could possibly need, plenty of clothes, can't concentrate on books, alcohol not good for her, and sounds like your nan in many ways. Very difficult to think of presents for her.
However she does like to use loads of face cream (olay in her case) and she likes perfume so I usually buy her something like that because at least it will get used.

carly

How about some nice toiletries ? Everyone has to wash. Maybe some scented shower gel and talc would come in handy. I have exactly the same problem with my Nan, so I know how difficult it can be.

scubaleopard

My nan absolutely loved a very soft teddy bear. I really believed it gave her so much comfort -- a bit like going back to childhood and a security thing