Cheap Gifts for Nursing Home Residents

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Finding affordable gifts for nursing home residents can be a challenging task, as diet restrictions, allergies and health conditions can limit the scope of acceptable items. Many senior citizens require specialized products and services for their unique needs, which can be expensive and hard to find. Therefore, the best gifts for most nursing home residents are simple, personal and hassle-free.

Photos

Album-sized pictures of familiar people, places and pets are an inexpensive way to brighten up your elderly loved one's day. Whether you print new digital photos or have old ones scanned and copied, the possibilities for photo content are endless. Nursing home residents have a lot of free time, so an ongoing supply of both new and old beloved photographs can both delight and stimulate warm memories. Get creative with photo presentations, and alternate between affordable albums, picture frames and collages. Some computers come with software that allows you to design customized photo calendars and greeting cards for free.

The joy of music is especially important to nursing home residents, who may have a largely sedentary lifestyle. Ask the resident or close friends and family to tell you his favorite songs and artists, even if you've never heard of them. With simple CD burning-software and music downloading programs such as iTunes, you can create customized play lists featuring music that the resident does not already own. If the resident prefers cassette tapes or records, visit second-hand music stores or websites such as Amoeba Music for affordable, one-of-a-kind finds for music-loving senior citizens.

Although nursing home residents enjoy getting mail, many find it increasingly difficult to hand-write letters, birthday cards and other written content. Offer your writing services to help your aging loved one address envelopes, pen notes and create to-do lists to lift the burden of a potentially painful and tiring task, especially if she suffers from arthritis. Addressing several envelopes in advance for the resident can also save time and hassle when hunting down an address for someone as a birthday or other special occasion approaches.

Old age can bring an increased intolerance to cold, so gifts that can be used for warmth are especially appreciated. To stay on the inexpensive side, visit large department or amenity stores, such as Target, for sales, discounts and deals on a variety of cozy items, such as slippers, fuzzy blankets and leg warmers. If you're crafty, consider taking an extra personal step with your gift and purchasing some soft yarn at a fabric store and knitting a shawl, scarf or other simple comfort item.

Sometimes the most overlooked gift--your time--is an invaluable source of joy for a nursing home resident. Residents do not have full-time jobs, young children or major responsibilities outside of the facility like their younger kin and friends, so making the time to enjoy an activity or meal with the resident is by far the most personal (and inexpensive) gift you can bestow. Consider scheduling regular visits on an interval appropriate for your relationship and lifestyles, and make a list of different activities the resident can enjoy with you, especially ones that are not available at the nursing home.