gift idea/question

[simba20]

My husband's grandmother is/will be in a rehabilitation center for a few months (she fell and broke her hip) as she completes physical therapy for her hip.

She's had a rough couple of weeks. She fell at the end of October and had surgery. Was moved to outpatient rehab, and then had trouble with her kidneys/bowels, so she went back in the hospital where they found a bowel obstruction. She had surgery for that. Spent three weeks in the hospital for that (including Thanksgiving). She has improved greatly, and is/was supposed to be moved back to rehab this week (we plan on calling her tomorrow).

Every year we do a Christmas gathering with her, but obviously this year we will have to go to her since she will not be home.

Now the hubster and I are racking our brains trying to think of a gift to get her.

Since she has already been away from home so long, she already has enough magazines, puzzle books, books to read to keep her occupied while at the rehab center. In her room (shared) she will have her own individual TV to watch with a headphone jack so she won't disturb her roommate. We'd get her some clothes to lounge in, but we really don;t know her size, so I am stuck for ideas.

I have come up with the idea of getting her a portable DVD player so that she can watch movies of she wanted to, but I am not sure.

She loves to read, and I'd love to get her a Kindle or Nook, but her shoulder is bothering her as well, so holding the unit up at the moment would hurt her shoulder. Plus, she could always borrow the unit that the hubster's aunt has. I'd get a B&N giftcard as I normally do, but what she loves is being able to go to the bookstore and look at the books.

Any ideas? She is also 86 years old if that is of any importance.

 

[stsomewhere]

When my grandma was in rehab. (She is 85) We brought her soft kleenx, lotion, hard candy, snacks, bottled water. But, she enjoyed company the most.

I think a personal DVD player would be great..especially if she does not have cable.

 

[tiggerlover]

What about a nice bed jacket (usually one size fits all) or a nice lap blanket? Or how about a nice holiday poinsettia for her room?

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I work in long term care as a physical therapist and my mother has been in rehab and an assisted living facility. As much as I hate to say this, I would be concerned with a DVD player or Kindle "walking away." They are nice ideas if she is homebound but tough to lock up with she is out of the room.

Does she have good shoes? Nice, well fitting slippers with non-skid soles would be good in case her feet are swollen. Also nice soft jogging or warm up suits are good for going to PT. And sometimes older folk get cold so a nice sweater would be good.

 

[minkydog]

My MIL lives in a nursing home now, in a semi-private room. Therefore doesn't have much storage space. Her mind is sharp as a tack, but she uses a wheelchair. We buy her mostly small things that are consumable, like chocolate candies, packages of peanut butter crackers, soft tissues(institutional tissues are like sand paper!) and a few holiday towels. This year I got her an Amarylis, which she always likes. Some years we buy her pretty panties and warm gripper socks.

When my DH was in the hospital last Christmas, I bought him a small rosemary "Christmas tree" and one of those flameless candles to decorate his room. I also bought a box of candy and some cookies, which he could share with the staff. He really enjoyed that even though he was sick as a dog. He didn't have the strength to hold a book or even to concentrate on it.

I wouldn't bring anything up there that you'll be upset about if it goes missing. You'd like to think that your stuff would be safe in a healthcare facility, but things have a way of walking out.

 

[powellrj]

What about a bag that hangs on her walker. When I needed to use a walker, it was wonderful to have! I would fill it up with things like tissues and my cordless phone and remote among other things so I always had them close to me.

 

[tar heel]

My dad is cold 100% of the time. Walking into their house is like going into an oven -- we always sleep with the window open in our bedroom even in the dead of winter. For Christmas, I'm going to give him an electric throw.

I mention this b/c old people who have been sick are often cold all the time.

 

[badblackpug]

Do you know what kind of music she likes? How about an Ipod preloaded with lots of music that she likes. It is small enough that she can put it in her pocket when she leaves the room to minimize the chance of theft.

 

[golfgal]

I would get her a Nook. They are VERY lightweight and if she loves books so much she can "shop" right on the Nook. When she is out of the rehab place, she can sit at BN and read books for free there too If holding the Nook is an issue, get her a lap desk with it so she can put the book on that and read either with the lap desk on her lap or on a table.

 

[arminnie]

Do you know what kind of music she likes? How about an Ipod preloaded with lots of music that she likes. It is small enough that she can put it in her pocket when she leaves the room to minimize the chance of theft.

Better yet you can load it with books that she might like. Audible.com also has subscriptions to various newspapers etc.

If you do get her an ipod I would make sure you get her comfortable earplugs.

 

[mrspaha]

I would get her a transistor radio with good reception, but not too expensive that someone would walk off with it. I was in the hospital a few months ago, just 2 days and 1 night, but they just had the basic few tv channels. I was awake most of the night - absolutely nothing of interest on tv, did not feel like reading, and would have loved to listen to a radio. But I listen to talk radio most of the time at home, so I don't know if others would appreciate it as much as I would.