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A new thread was started today by an out-of-state/distant sibling who clearly, and with the best of intentions, "only wants to help." Her mother has dementia and hearing loss and lives in an ALF, with her main caregivers being the poster's two brothers. The OP's attempts to replace a lost hearing aid, and to get to the bottom of why visits from a paid professional had been discontinued, had not gone down well with the primary caregiver; she was seeking suggestions on how to pursue these two topics without creating additional conflict and ill-feeling. Which set me to musing on the "helpful" things people had done, items they'd brought, which in spite of their good intentions had rather misfired. The brilliant snazzy new rollator - which was too wide for mother's rooms. The electronic photo frame which changed image every ten seconds and confused the heck out of her. The beautiful coffee table book that she couldn't lift, or hold on her knee. The clever cordless headphones, which made her look like she was chief flying officer on a 757 but had buttons too small for 90 year old fingers... If I had to pick just one, it would be the enormous cardboard carton delivered by courier on her birthday. I guessed plant? Flower arrangement? And went to get the scissors. A few swift swipes and the box burst open - sending HAPPY BIRTHDAY helium balloons into every corner of the room. The cat almost cr*pped herself and sprinted off. I fell over backwards, and then realised I'd have to round the dam' things up again... Was Mother pleased? I told my niece she was thrilled. Mm. Not the serious, painful things, the undermining or risky meddling or (God forbid) going to law; but what well-meant gifts and gestures have tripled your caregiving workload?

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Hm, I honestly can't remember anything major, just little things like when my uncle brought a bag of apples so I could make his dear sister some applesauce - did he think that they didn't have any in the nursing home? Or the socks with the grips on the soles when she really didn't walk anymore. Everyone pretty much left things 100% up to me (which of course is a whole different thread).
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A relative brought our bedridden aunt with alzheimer's in the NH, 2 COCONUTS, because she read coconut milk was good for dementia!
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My dad gets constantly gifted and offered food he can't eat anymore due to being gluten free...the saddest is birthday cakes he can't have and instead has to watch the guests enjoy.

This of course means then dealing with a [ justified, honestly] grumpy dad for the rest of the visit and trying to mediated any further drama. 
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Gosh, CW, that reminds me of when my aunt took my great aunt a dragon fruit "to make a change." She plonked it down on the overbed table and we all just sat there and stared at it. What's wrong with some nice grapes..?
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Chocolates for my diabetic dad. Made him cry.
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Sister 2 would tell me she was bringing cantaloupe or watermelon for Mom, "Mom loves fruit." She'd drop off the whole fruit, not already cut up, and leave. Or she'd call around 6 p.m. (after we'd already eaten or our meal was already on the stove) saying she had baked a ham and was dropping it off "for dinner" still in the baking bag in the pan full of juice. Or she'd drop off a one-gallon-sized bucket (literally) of whipped cream and cake for our diabetic mother. Or she dropped in to hang a 6x8-foot rug on the wall so Mom could "have some color. Mom loves color", all the while sniffling then saying she'd caught the flu (later strep throat), with Mom sitting two feet from Sister 2 as she screws in this stupid rug...and a few days later I ended up in StatCare to get antibiotics for strep throat.
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This is not quite on topic, but we are all seniors, so here goes.

R and I took sis and new hubby out for dinner in a fine place. To express their gratitude they brought us a gift bag in which was a lily plant and a box of chocolates. Bear in mind that we are traveling so hauling a plant around is difficult. Bear in mind also that I am allergic to milk (which sis knows), so that knocks out the chocolates for me. I then took off by bus to visit my son, leaving R with the car, the plant and the chocolates. He could leave neither in the vehicle, as it would be sitting in the blazing sun for hours, so I suggested he give the plant to the lady, where he stays when he is down there, as a belated mother's day gift. Later when I asked how it was received, I heard she was not happy and said,"The cats will get it!" (Lily plants are deadly poisonous to cats.) I guess she tossed it. Hope someone enjoyed the chocolates.

The funniest part was that went we drove them back to their hotel after dinner, mistakenly, new hub nearly took the bag back in with him. I wish he had.
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My father, a southern man with traditional southern cooking skills, was sent a giant wok as a gift by a relative who thought “he’d like to try something new” My dad continually called me wondering why his new skillet didn’t fit on one burner on the stove and why all the food he put in it kept sliding down and around?! So thanks! I waited a while and quietly donated it to his church’s annual rummage sale
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My sig other's grown children like to send us those Editable fruit creations.... yes, very delightful looking but he and I wind up tossing most of it out after a few days as there is no way we could eat such a large batch of cut up fruit. He only liked the grapes, and with my acid reflux I was limited.

Or a box of pears, like no way we could eat 12 pears. Reminded me of a "Everyone Love Raymond" when his parents got a large box of fruit.

Or my God-daughter, who was too young to pick out gifts so her Mom would get me gifts... ok I am a senior citizen, but do I really look like the type that wants aprons, oven mitts, and gasp, tea towels that would need ironing? Hyacinth Bucket I am not !!
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My mother hasn't really received any gifts that weren't appropriate/useful, but I had to giggle when I remembered a friend of hers had sent mother a nice flower arrangement with a large mylar balloon attached. Mother loved it, but would forget about the balloon and whenever she turned around and caught sight of it, she'd startle and yelp, thinking someone had sneaked up on her!
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Hi
I love some of the quirkiest gifts my mom has received!! It's so sweet that people are still visiting and thinking of her-I don't think any has 'tripled my workload' but they definitely break up the doldrums!! Who needs sensible gifts all the time??!
I can relate to the books- some nonfiction -as though she has all this rest time -a good time to pursue further education.
Hahha
She got a few get well cards though-very wishful thinking as she has dementia.
people mean well!!!
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Great idea for a thread!

CM, what a riot to open helium balloons, you must laugh at it now?

TS2 bought coconut oil because it was supposed to slow the dementia decline. Snuck it into the house, actually. I had been wondering why mom's D was worse after TS2 visits. I told her get the coconut oil out of here or I will be throwing it away.

Then TS2 develops D problem that mom had for years. Wondered if TS2 ever stopped the coconut oil herself. Her her hubby quite the health food nut for years just retired and has numerous health issues in his early 60's.
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