What can we give Grandma?

My mom lived out the last few years of her life in a nursing home. The question, "What can we give Grandma?" was one I would hear every year about this time.

I knew that Mom loved chocolate, playing Bingo and word find puzzles. A rare debilitating disease had robbed her of her fine motor skills and her speech. So much for Bingo and puzzles. With each passing month, it became more and more difficult for her to swallow. So much for giving a box of chocolates.

Even without physical limitations, it can be a real chore figuring out what to get our elderly relatives. In my mom's case, I could buy her a new nightie and she loved getting new tops (clothes tend to get lost in a nursing home.) Another good choice seemed to be body wash that the staff would use for her shower and body lotions as the air is often dry during the winter months.