I have been asked by a hospice volunteer to do BD gift/gift for hospice BDs. Any suggestions? This will probably be these people's last BD but I don't want to buy a lot of "stuff" but make it special.

Thank you.

How very nice of you! Perhaps some sort of aromatherapy product - lotions, oils, or candles. I have read of beneficial affects on immune system, dementia, etc.

An uplifting book, CD, or DVD might also be nice.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Maybe some sort of book on tape or soothing sounds CD like one of the wind in the forest or the sounds of the ocean. I'd also think that some sort of chocolates or other decadent treat would go over well.

My suggestions would be a means of contact for those they might not otherwise be able to see. How about phone calling cards or prepaid phones? Some stationary and stamps for them to write notes/letters to their loved ones would be nice too. (for those more infirm you could also volunteer to be the transcriber). Definitely give them a cake and cards to let them know they matter now.

What a nice gesture and assignment you have undertaken!

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People are usually in hospice care at the very end of their lives. By then most people are not eating much lf at all so I don't think chocolate and things like that would be eaten by them. A small cake would be nice but don't feel bad if thet don't eat it. I think your time would be the best gift. Go in with note cards but ask if they would like you to write some notes for them. I know that the last week of my moms life she was very weak and would not have been able to do it herself. Just holding the phone was too much for her. Phone cards would be nice, and small gift baskets with small bottles of lotion. If you are handy small lap blankets to keep them warm. This is a very nice thing for you to do.

My husband's granmother received Hospice care at the end of her life - she received a samll lap size hand made quilt -used it on her bed at Hospice - my daughter still sleeps with it every night - because it reminds her of Great Grandma Betty -- Bless You for doing this

You might find a group of crocheters- knitters and/or quilters willing to supply them -- this was a donation to hospice that his grandmother received

[quote=meatie1;2871568]I would find a liitle bit out about the patient. When my dad was on hospice,somebody burned CD of various Johnny Cash songs. Johnny Cash was one of his favortiies, and this CD was playing continously, even when he passed.

QUOTE]

My Dad was a Johnny Cash fan too! In his last week here, we played it on our little cd player out on the deck for him. He could barely talk, but you saw his foot tapping to the beat of those songs. We even played it at the funeral, Dad would have never wanted organ music. Music definiatly mde his last few days more bareable.

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." ~ Bernard Meltzer

Actually, that's not always the case.

DH's godfather is nearing the end of his time and he really loves his chocolate-covered raisins and oatmeal raisin cookies that we bring when we visit.

I'm glad that he still enjoys eating. My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer and they gave her radiation treatment a couple days later. Nothing ever tasted good again and she ate very, very little. She wasn't hungry or suffering she was just not hungry. She died 25 days later and the last week she ate very little. She could not even finish an Ensure. I would bring her everything she loved and one bite was about all she wanted. Now I tell my friends if they have someone at the end who does not want to eat to not push them. The last thing they want is someone pushing them to eat. Here hospice usually steps in at the very end (like the last week or less) so by then I don't know how many people are eating. Before I would bring something I would ask if they would like it and if there is anything they can't have. If they did still enjoy a treat I would be sure to bring it.

Do you have more specific information about the patients? I don't think there is a Hospice birthday gift! I was a Hospice nurse for 12 years and even I can not think of one specific gift which would fit all people. A phone card or stamps would mean nothing to someone with money. I think you have to look at each individual person.

My hospice got a big kick out of helping the patient record stories about their lives. We would ask a leading question like, "What was your favorite toy as a child", "Tell me about your Mom",""What do you want people to remember about you?"or "What is the worst storm you ever saw?". Usually the patient would start talking and the stories would flow. The patients really enjoyed the tale-telling and the family's had a tape of the conversation that they could have as a remembrance.

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Lyn Clarke

How about having a birthday basket (similar to the kids toy basket at the dentist) and letting them pick something out that they would like. That way, you could have several different CDs, notecards, snacks, etc. and they could pick a few. You could even have birthday hats and balloons.