Present for 90 year old grandmother

[VienneseWhirligig]

Inspired by another lovely birthday present thread I thought I would ask for some ideas for my gran's birthday present!

She will be 90, has poor mobility but is too stubborn to use a wheelchair, has hearing aids but doesn't wear them at home when nobody else is there (so an audible subscription would be no good) and has no Internet, tablet or mobile phone. She has just recovered from skin cancer and is blind in one eye.

She spent last birthday in lockdown and the afternoon tea at a lovely hotel that I promised her still hasn't been able to happen. My DS does her shopping and gardening, and recently relaid her lawn and installed grab rails in her back garden. She lives alone but very close to my house, she does her own cleaning and cooking, but has everything she needs. She doesn't want new clothes, jewellery or food. She doesn't drink much alcohol and has a massive spirit cupboard from where she's bought things and not used them. She hates clutter, candles, pot pourri, anything that highlights her frailty.

For Mother's Day I bought her perfume and some lovely soaps, and for Christmas, a coffee machine which she uses daily. She has a Kindle linked to my account which I collect every now and then, synch up to my WiFi and download new books for her.

On the face of it she is impossible to buy for and always asks us not to get her anything, but then is delighted when we do, so it's not that she doesn't want a gift, she doesn't like asking for things. So, any ideas?

Presents that have been successful with my elderly gran:
Sponsor a guide dog puppy
Lava lamp
Handheld fan www.johnlewis.com/anyday-john-lewis-partners-handheld-and-foldable-desk-fan-4-inch/magenta/p4895489?sku=239005333&
Thermos mug
Fleece microwaveable hot water bottle

You could get her a nice kindle case

Since my grandmother wasn’t online either, I printed a load of family photos and made her an album.

CD audio books?

If you're feeling really dedicated (and have the time), buy a microphone for your laptop, download some free audio recording software, and record your own audio book for her.

Or can you organise an afternoon tea in her garden? If you're not up for baking etc., there are usually local services who can make one for you, and you can hire tea services, cake plates etc. too (or find some in charity shops).

Heated shoulder and neck wrap my 82 yr old mother loves it.
Book tokens and days out always go down well.

Does she have any nice wedding china that never gets taken out?

We made a lovely afternoon tea using what was actually my gran's mother's china. I think she was even more pleased to be using the china than all the lovely dainty cakes and sandwiches my mum had made.

We looked through old photo albums, reminisced and generally had a lovely afternoon.

I got my nan one of those newspaper books from the year she was born / I haven't seen it but she is delighted with it!

@rbe78

Or can you organise an afternoon tea in her garden? If you're not up for baking etc., there are usually local services who can make one for you, and you can hire tea services, cake plates etc. too (or find some in charity shops).

My sister managed to track down a truly amazing company who brought the afternoon tea along with crockery & cutlery, laid it all out, then came back to pick their stuff up afterwards.

Does she go in the garden now she's got her grab rails? If so, you could get her a lovely garden chair to be put somewhere easily accessible, so she can sit out? You could stretch this out a bit to provide a lovely rose in a nice pot to go next to it, etc.

My DH's Nan enjoyed the huge bird feeder we got her - that might be worth a go?

Maybe a planter filled with suitable perennials to go in her newly sorted garden?

A flower subscription? Or just flowers?

Thanks, some fab ideas here. Audiobooks aren't really her thing - she hates having her hearing aids in so only wears them in company with others. The garden ideas are excellent though, I could get her a comfy chair. DS bought her a rose for Mother's Day but she was saying she regretted digging up the lily in the valley last year that my grandad planted years ago before he died, so maybe some of that in a container would be good (so it doesn't spread everywhere like the old plant had over 40 years!).

I really like the idea of the afternoon tea in the garden. She doesn't have any wedding china (very working class background and was orphaned young, so grew up in foster care with no money) but if we could find someone local to come in and arrange it as suggested above that would be brilliant.

Thanks!!