My family has several family members in the nursing home. Two grandparents, a great aunt and my dad. All but my dad are in nursing homes locally. He lives in NY, while I am in OH. It was a hard transition for them to go to the nursing home.

I wanted to share with all of you the birthday card I made for my dad from Cardstore.com. This photo is of my dad and me. He is in a nursing home, living with Alzheimer's, about 12 hours away. I don't get to visit very often, so we stay in touch through the mail. Photos and letters help his memory, I can't wait for him to get this card!

Here are more gift ideas:

General Gift Ideas:

• Photo albums (With both Snapfish and Shutterfly, you can create an album or another type of photo gift and have shipped directly to your family member.)
• Cards
• Magazines
• Books
• Gift basket with their favorite food
• dvds
• cds

Personal Care Items as Gift for Someone in Nursing Home

Providing a basket of carefully chosen personal care items can be useful and thoughtful as well. It is helpful to know if the person has any allergies or particular preferences for brands or scents before purchasing items such as:

• soap
• shampoo
• conditioner
• lotion
• deodorant
• fingernail polish

A day of pampering might be particularly appreciated. A facial, manicure, pedicure, or massage can give a boost to that loved one in the nursing home.

Gifts That Focus on Hobbies

Gift ideas can be personalized to focus on the person’s personal interests and hobbies such as:

• stationary and stamp
• supplies for knitting or crocheting
• magazines or books
• pet care supplies
• plants, herbs, or flowers
• bird feeders and food
• interactive games such as Wii