Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
What is a good gift to give a 100 year old woman?
By betty from Battle Creek, MI
My great Aunt is 95 years old and she loves my homemade chocolate candy, cookies, brownies, coffee cakes, etc. I always mail her something homemade for her birthday and Christmas! Just make sure that the woman doesn't have diabetes.
As my grandmother got older, I ran out of ideas, but one she particularly liked was telling me stories, which I taped. There are also journals that have questions with areas for answers out there.
Spend some time with her.
Does she go to class reunions? If not try to find out who her old school chums were and write them about her birthday and that a lovely gift would be a current photo of people she went to school with.
Help her with a family tree online.
Help her make a memory book for the grand kids and great grandkids to remember her by. This will also help her remember herself. See this post for a guide
www.thriftyfun.com/
Replace a couple of the questions and this will be fun for her and a treasure for the whole family in the future. Adding pictures of her at different ages would only make it better.
Many elderly people are in nursing facilities at that age or younger. Congrats to your grandmother for reaching 100 years. Perhaps some warm and comfortable clothing since winter is approaching or a bed jacket. Maybe handmade items knitted, crocheted. or sewn is more to her taste.
I spoke with a woman who was 96.5 years old and she was pleased to tell me that she was one of the "Rosie the Riveters" in WWII. Take a lot of time to sit and talk to her about herself when she was growing up, the things she learned that mattered and was still important in later life or that she used in raising her own family. A long pleasant conversation will do her more good than any "item" and yes, tape her in the process. (I love the other's suggestion to do this; a great idea!) You'll never regret it.
There was a woman I spoke with in a nursing facility who loved her beagle and the one in charge of its care on her behalf would bring it to the nursing faility for a visit with her. Her beagle died awhile back, but I found a really cute stuffed beagle with a black back similar to her own and I'm sure her eyes will light up with glee when she gets it because she spoke with so much enthusiasm about those topics that were dearest to her. Enjoy your grandmother's day together; she'll be glad you did.
Lots of flowers to smell, hugs, smiles, laughter, questions about her special life memories and listen even if she goes on for hours about many of them. Sit as close as possible and if she's bed bound lay in bed with her. Hold her hand and squeeze it from your heart.
When my mother turned 90, I put her picture in the paper and announced her birthday. Then I said "why don't you give her a call,( it's ok if you don't know her;)" and gave her phone number. My mother was happy answering the phone all day from well wishers. Also the gift of time spent just talking and being there means more than any gift.
I think old people really like to spend time with other people, so just visit her regularly. Have lunch with her once a week. Buy her groceries. Do things for her she can't do for herself; change a light bulb, re-pot her plants, whatever.
Can you give her a gift card? Good luck.
how about finding out some of her favorite songs from the old days,her wedding song etc. alot of these song are available to download(I know 'cuz my husband LOVES music from the 20's, 30's, 40's He's only 44 but...) make a cd or tape mix for her and surprise her with it.
Not sure if I'm remembering correcty, but I think the White House sends birthday greetings to folks who reach 100. Visit their web site to check. There are lots of good ideas here. I'm guessing she's in some kind of care facility and if so I'd go with a warm bed jacket or approved food items.
Maybe a scrapbook of some kind made of 50 sheets of printer paper, one side of each sheet dedicated to each year of her birth. Congrats to the good lady for reaching this very awesome milestone.
Newspaper articles if you can get them, fancy lettering outlining the stats of the year, the special events, what was going on, who was president, the popular songs, all that sort of thing.
Or, maybe a homemade book of similar design for just the year of her birth? You could put more detail into that one.
May she live as long as the wants, and never want as long as she lives!
My aunt who turns 100 in 2 weeks is still in her own home... alive and well, threatening to go out dancing! The only reason why she gave up driving 2 years ago was that her 99 year old friend passed away. I don't want to go empty handed to her big soiree. Any other ideas besides something warm and sitting and talking to her? She's got plenty to wear and we are all stopping by and dragging her somewhere or other.
If she is mobile and mind ok, I'd give her either a a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant, or to her her beauty salon. If she is not mobile I'd get her favorite food products, or a visit from a manicurist or a hairdresser.
We did that idea when my mother turned a hundred it turned out great she loved it!
