Fathers day ideas for nursing home residents

10 Present Ideas for a Father in A Nursing Home

Father’s Day is June 19, 2022 – that means it is almost here! For many of us, it is hard to find the perfect gift or a way to celebrate. And when your father is elderly or even living in a nursing home, that can make things seem even more challenging. Fortunately, there are many great ideas for presents and things to do this Father’s Day for a dad in a nursing home!

Here at Mt Hope Nursing Center, so many of our residents are loving fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers. We are the lucky ones who get to spend time with these fantastic elders every day. We are happy to provide you with some ideas for great Father’s Day gifts or other ways to celebrate.

First, let’s get right to the absolute best thing you can do for your father this special day – come visit! Our residents always light up whenever friends and family members come to see them. Your mere presence is a tremendous gift to a father who may not see his family as often as he would like.

If you are going to visit your loved one for Father’s Day here at Mount Hope or another nursing home facility, you may be wondering what sort of Father’s Day gift you could bring along with you.

Ideas for Thoughtful Father’s Day Nursing Home Gifts

Finding a good Father’s Day present doesn’t mean you have to give a tangible object. He probably doesn’t need any more ties or socks. When considering the perfect Father’s Day gift, you may need to stop thinking about what you can get and start thinking about what you and your dad can do.

Spending time with your father doing some activity he likes would probably mean much more than a bottle of new cologne. What activities can you do? Think about the things he enjoys, the hobbies he has, the people he loves spending time with. If he is in a nursing home, there is a very good chance he is not able to enjoy a lot of his favorite activities as much as he would like to.

How can you connect him with his favorite activities, hobbies, or people?

5 Clever Father’s Day Activities for Dads in a Nursing Home

1. Drive him to a place he loves. Take your dad out to a friend’s house, the barbershop, his favorite restaurant, for a visit with the grandkids. Whether he lives in a nursing home or just is facing new difficulties driving as he has gotten older, your father probably cannot get around as much. These types of outings would likely mean a lot to him.

1. Take him to a ball game. You don’t even have to go far from Mount Hope to catch a football or baseball game!
   • The Wichita Force indoor football team takes on the West Texas Warbirds at Hartman Arena the day before Father’s Day (June 18).
   • Enjoy an affordable belated Father’s Day by cheering on the WindSurge baseball team on their Two for Tuesday June 21st.

1. Stay in and watch a game or a movie! Find something to watch on TV or listen to on the radio and stay for a while to enjoy the game or show with him.

1. Play a game! Make your visit entertaining. Whether it’s playing a card game, going through a photo album, or discussing his favorite hobby or interest – plan a visit where you stay awhile and enjoy time with your dad or grandfather.

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   Mount Hope Nursing Home group trip to Carriage Crossing in 2017

   Enjoy a meal. While we serve delicious meals here at Mount Hope Nursing Center, we know nothing compares to eating your absolute favorite food. Perhaps you can pick your dad up a pizza from LMNO here in Mount Hope, get him a Spangles burger, or even take him out to eat at Carriage Crossing.

5 Father’s Day Gifts Great for Dads in a Nursing Home

If you do want to find an actual gift to present, here are some great ones to consider for a father in a nursing home or other elderly care facility:

1. Non-slip Slippers If you have given him socks every year, slippers may fit right in with your tradition! Nursing home residents do get a lot of use out of slippers. Make sure you get a pair that is non-slip to help prevent a risk of a slip or fall.

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   Jigsaw puzzle or crossword puzzle Is your dad a fan of puzzles? He might appreciate getting a new one to tackle. Crossword puzzles are excellent for helping people at any age stay sharp, so they are a perfect gift for a father in a nursing home. You may want to find puzzles with large font if he has any eyesight issues. 

1. Music Was there any band or type of music you remember your father listening to when you were a child? Studies show that music has excellent benefits for elderly people, enhancing their mood and memory. Be sure that your father has a way to play whatever music you purchase. Otherwise, you may need to also provide that for him as well. 

1. Audiobooks Whether your father is a big reader or not, audiobooks are a great source of entertainment. Listening to an audiobook is excellent for elderly people facing physical challenges as it does not require holding a book or strong eyesight. Like the music suggestion above, if you purchase him audiobooks, you will also want to be sure he has a way to play them. Which gets us to our last Father’s Day gift suggestion… 

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   iPad or Kindle. Don’t think just because he is elderly that your aging parent can’t handle newer devices. Our residents here at Mount Hope have really taken to a lot of modern technology, especially lately with the COVID 19 pandemic restrictions. Our staff of professional caregivers have been regularly assisting with Zoom calls and FaceTime for our residents to virtually visit with friends and family.

Plus, these devices are great for reading books. One great advantage for an older person reading an eBook is that these mobile devices allow for customization. They can enlarge the words or even brighten the screen to make reading much more accessible than a traditional book.

WICHITA FATHER’S DAY EVENTS

If your father is staying at Mount Hope Nursing Center or other senior living or long term care facility in the Sedgwick County area, there are many great events in the area you could enjoy together. Here is a list of some wonderful events just minutes away in Wichita to consider taking your dad to.

HAVE A DAD WHO LOVES GOLF?

The 2021 Wichita Open is happening just in time for Father’s Day! With events starting on June 9, the Championship occurs on Father’s Day. Get the details and tickets at the Wichita Open’s website.

DOES HE COLLECT GUNS OR KNIVES?

Your dad is in for a treat. The Wichita Gun Knife Show is happening on June 18 & 19 at Century II. 

A CAR FANATIC?

You won’t want to miss out on the Father’s Day Car Show at the Sedgwick County Zoo! From antiques to classics to modern vehicles, you will get quite a lot to see, including the zoo animals!

IS HE A BBQ CONNOISSEUR?

The weekend before Father’s day is the Smoke on the Plains BBQ and Music Fest presented by AARP and Rock Regional Hospital! With a variety of BBQ and Steak Cook-offs, you will both get your fair share of delicious eats!

Our residents have had great fun at all the bingo events we’ve put on here at Mt Hope. If your father loves Bingo AND brunch, then you definitely won’t want to miss the Brunch Bingo & Beer event happening every Sunday (including on Father’s Day) at the Chicken N Pickle in northeast Wichita. And stay later that night for the Sporting KC Watch Party!

Father’s Day Outing Tips

• Don’t plan a long day. He may tire more easily or more quickly
• Pack sunscreen and/or a hat.
• Make sure he has any medicines he may need.
• Be mindful of how far he will have to walk. Arrange for mobility assistance if needed.

Customize a Father’s Day Surprise with Mount Hope!

Do you have a wild idea for how you can surprise and delight your dad for Father’s Day? If he is a resident here at Mount Hope Nursing Center, contact us! Our team would be happy to help in any way we can to help you make a wonderful new memory for your father.

One of our Mt Hope Nursing Center residents is a major motorcycle fanatic. He was joyfully surprised on a recent birthday with a thrilling Harley ride. Our staff helped coordinate this exciting moment and are happy to go out of their way to make our residents smile!

Looking for even more Father’s Day nursing home gift ideas?

There are many other great gift ideas that are excellent for older adults in elder care or different types of assisted living facilities. Check out Quarantine Father’s Day Ideas from Good Housekeeping or a list of 19 gift ideas for anyone in a nursing home.

For some awesome high-tech Father’s Day gift ideas, check out the Nurse Next Door’s 6 Elderly Father’s Day Gift ideas.