by Susan Neece

Created on: October 19, 2008

Let me first start off with a question. Is the senior you are buying for competent and capable? The reason for the question is because I work in a up-scale skilled nursing facility. We have seniors come in with all the pretty hand crafted, 3 carat diamond's Oh! I can't forget the "totally from Tiffany's diamond necklaces" ( as one family member of a senior made perfectly clear). Many of the persons entering in our facility are not capable of understanding that the beautiful necklace she wears around her neck is the one her husband spent a years salary on. The cause is many seniors suffer from Dementia, it is not something the can help or snap out of. Many people in their situation are happy with the Mardi gra bead type necklaces and bracelets ( not to mention safer for them). I know this is not an article for educating anyone on seniors and the scares of AAlzheimer's and Dementia, but when a question of jewelry and seniors are put in one sentence I must explain why. Many elderly people suffer from very fine skin, almost like tissue paper. As many will know if you handle tissue paper in a rough manner it will tear. Imagine your skin ripping like that. Well it does in the elderly. When purchasing a gift of jewelry just make sure it is something he or she may handle without a lot of care (if they are not capable). Stay away from stretch band watches with metal they tend to give the most skin tears and they are not pretty to see. The bands get caught on many things such as; blankets, sweaters and sometimes on hand towels. An elderly person who is suffering with the horrible disease AAlzheimer's and Dementia are capable of doing things they would never do ( so they say if they knew someone before they were like this). I see men and women use their drinking straws as cigarette's. It's not that they like doing it or even smoked right before they came to us. Smoking could of been something they have done in their teen years. At that moment they could be thinking of it as they are a teen and need a smoke. I just suggest if anyone is going to purchase a piece if jewelry for someone in a nursing home or assisted living facility please do so wisely. Go for cubic zarchonia they will never know the difference and you won't have to worry about where that expensive ring, necklace, bracelet, ect. is and how it is being cared for. I hope I was able to enlighten many with not only the response but also the little education on how fragile the human body can be when it ages.

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