A Directory of Senior Citizen Gift Ideas and Elder Care Articles
My articles are designed to help other senior caregivers who might tread along my path
As I cared for my aged Mom, Gertie, I spent a lot of time learning how to be a good elder caregiver. I started from scratch really as I had no children so my path to becoming a decent senior caregiver was a long and winding. Luckily for me (and, ultimately for Mom), I had the most easy senior citizen in the world for whom to care. Mom taught me very gently as we went along. Every day seemed to give her an opportunity to teach me what she needed. And, during those days, I spent a fair amount of time on the internet researching ways to make our lives easier. And, that's where the inspiration for most of the articles you'll find below came from.
I've strived to put my articles into categories below but some of my caregiving articles don't always fit into a mold. So, grab a cup of coffee, sit for a spell, and wander by any article you find interesting.
Note: to see an article, click on any picture below. You'll be taken to the appropriate gift guide for senior citizens or caregiving article. And, as always, comments are welcomed on any and all articles. You don't have to be a member of Squidoo to comment.
Pictures of that little old lady in a lot of my articles are of my adorable, wonderful Mother, Gertie - the man would be my Dad, Joe. They are loved so much even though they're no longer with me physically.
On being a caregiver
Being a caregiver for my Mom was both the hardest and most rewarding thing I've ever done - And, I would do it again.
Things I wish I had known when I became a caregiver
A day in the life of a caregiver's life
Caregiver stress - identifying symptom and overcoming the challenges
Anatomy of a caregiver - what makes me tick
Caregiver needs
Good Gifts for Caregivers
More Elder Care Caregiver experience talking
A sponge bath for mom
Taking the elderly on a cruise
Helping a hospitalized senior citizen
Caring for the elderly - birdwatching from a lazy boy recliner
The importance of routines when caring for the elderly
Cooking for the elderly
As a senior citizen caregiver, be prepared to adapt your recipes to dietary restrictions
As my Mom's appetite waned, I had to find creative ways to get calories into her. I cooked a lot of comfort foods from her youth such as matzo meal pancakes, beet borscht, and oatmeal raisin cookies. I also found ways to make smaller servings such as making chicken pot pies in muffin tins - they were the perfect size for her for dinner.
Cooking a low sodium diet
Healthy eating for senior citizens
A low sodium oven fried chicken recipe
Low sodium chicken pot pie recipe
Great gifts for senior citizens
My favorite gifts for senior citizens
I spent the last 5 years caring for my aging Mom, Gertie. During the time, we received a lot of gifts, the best of which are documented in the six articles below.
Click any picture below to see the full article. Note: the woman in the pictures is my adorable Mom. She was as beautiful inside as out.
Games for senior citizens
Wheelchair accessories for the senior citizen on the go
Daily living aids for the handicapped or disabled person
Talking alarm clocks for the elderly
Pill reminder systems for the elderly
Alarm systems for caregivers or in home health aides
Gifts for menopausal women
Keep elderly feet and hands warm with warming boots and gloves
Pill Boxes - for perfect Christmas or birthday gift for those on the go
Practical gifts for very elderly senior citizens
Senior Citizen Gift Ideas - from one who knows
Gifts for senior citizen cooks
Handicapped walkers, scooters, and wheelchair reviews
Wheelchairs, Walkers, and Scooters
Oh my!
I bought and traded quite a few handicap walkers during the 5 years Mom was with me, looking for just the right one. During that time, I did some pretty deep research and this series of articles is a result of that time spent.
Handicap walkers
Hugo elite rolling walker
DuroMed 2 button adjustable folding walker
Drive Medical Fly Weight Transport Chair
DuroMed Steel 3 Wheel Rollator
Wheelchair accessories for the senior citizen on the goCHECK PRICE
Senior Citizen Health Care articles
Caregiving means acquiring a lot of new skills
Most of these articles came about as a result of minor crises (or rather, as we were going through them, they seemed like major crises at the time). Like the time Mom broke her hip and we were in rehab for 8 weeks...
Pnemonia symptoms in the elderly
Helping the elderly walk
Incontinence in the elderly
Preventing bedsores in the elderly
Understanding Sundowner Syndrome
Dementia symptoms in the elderly
Adjusting the elderly to rehab
Preventing falls in the elderly
Handicapped bathroom needs for a senior citizen
Helping the bedridden
Choosing hospice - when is it the right choice?
Senior citizen dental care
Articles to prepare the elderly and caregiver for death
Facing death with courage, love, and sadness too
As Mom entered the last stages of life, I was frightened because I didn't know what to expect. Sure, I had seen death a lot of times when I had to ease my beloved dogs to the next world, but when one is faced with the death of a mother or father (or sister in my case), it was a whole different ballpark.
I set off to learn about the signs and symptoms of death, and I found that I was no longer frightened. I'm hoping these articles help others gain the knowledge to become more compassionate and loving to those who are about to leave us.
Preparing for the death of a loved one
Death and dying - dealing with the restless patient
When death looms - the signs and symptoms of the last moments on earth
The long goodbye - when your job as a caregiver is ending
Life after death - my definitive guess
Mourning the loss of a loved one
No matter how old you are when a parent dies, you'll be mourning the loss
Even though my Mom was 95 when she died, her death still struck me hard as I had basically been 'married' to her since my Dad died 5 years previously. I will be eternally grateful to be her caregiver as I got to see a side of my Mom that few others experienced - I got to not only be my Mother's child but I got to mother my Mother too. I got to relate to my Mom on a different level - as an adult this time. We had a good run and shared a lot of laughs. She is well missed.
Writing a eulogy - some things to consider
Missing Mom - ways to cope with the death of a loved one
A year of firsts - surviving the first year after the death of a loved one
Bereavement gifts
Miscellaneous articles
As always, nothing ever fits into a nice neat category so here's some articles that I just wrote, mostly for fun:
Senior Citizen Flash Mobs
Things I promised my Mom I'd never do
Gin soaked raisins - an arthritis cure of old
Coloring fun for senior citizens
Senior citizen crafts
American attitudes toward the elderly
My mother, myself - the art of aging gracefully
Caringbridge,org - connecting friends and family
Text module
Things I wish I had known when I became a caregiver
A day in the life of a caregiver's life
Caregiver stress - identifying symptom and overcoming the challenges
Anatomy of a caregiver - what makes me tick
Caregiver needs
Good Gifts for Caregivers
I really do hope that you found some value in one or more of my Squidoo articles and I'd like to stop you for coming by. But, I won't know whom to thank unless you leave me comments. Regardless, thanks in advance for dropping into my little section of the caregiving world.
~Lori
