In my nursing class, we are making valentine's day gifts for the elderly at a nursing home. It can be anything, the only requirement is that it has to have a health message written somewhere on it. I have no idea what to make. I have a plastic heart. Its about 4 x 4 inches. It opens up. I was thinking maybe I could put something in it that they would like, but I don't know what to put in it since they can't have candy. I was also thinking about maybe just incorporating that heart into something I could make of construction paper.

Anyone have any ideas of what an elderly person would like for valentine's day?

Any help is greatly appreciated =)

Do you have access to any photographs of family members, grandkids, pets that you can use on your craft?

Excellent ideas above! I used to work at a nursing home. Would just like to add that maybe attaching a balloon to the heart in some way could be an idea that you could use? You could also write a health message on the balloon. Also, the elderly love to play with balloons!

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Originally Posted by Clough

Also, the elderly love to play with balloons!

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I won't be one of them (I don't think). Please tell me I won't.

How about a number for a door prize inside each heart? The door prizes could vary from postage stamps to stationery to an easy-care plant to a large print book (ask me for titles) to a puzzle book.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

I won't be one of them (I don't think). Please tell me I won't.

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People love to play with balloons at any age, Wondergirl! :)

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Originally Posted by Clough

People love to play with balloons at any age, Wondergirl! :)

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Not me. They pop and scare me.

Dana- no I don't have access to any photographs. We don't know any of the people. I think the program just thought it would be nice if we made a valentine and they sent it off to the nursing home and we get points for doing it lol.
Balloon is a good idea... I could incorporate it somehow probably.
Hmm. I want to make something that they can use other than only on Valentine's day. I found this and it looks sort of nice.. How to Make a Heart of Roses Valentine Wreath (if it isn't too expensive to make. I don't know how much silk roses cost lol)
Maybe I could stick the plastic heart in the middle and write a message on it? I don't know. What do you all think?

It makes it kind of difficult that a health message has to be incorporated onto it. Especially since the day is primarily about candy lol. One crafty project we did was make lacey ornaments filled with potpourri. They were pretty cute. No real health message though. I spend time with a lady in hospice, and though we aren't allowed to buy them things, I bought her a pink fuzzy frog. (Seriously, if I get in trouble for that, that is their issue.) Anyway, the way her face lit up was priceless. I think that those in a nursing home or hospice (hell people in general) just appreciate the fact that someone thought of them. Good luck with this!

Thanks for the ideas mafiaangel. The potpourri sounds like a good idea too. I guess I'll be spending a while wandering around wal mart later lol.