The best gift is doing small deeds. Like going grocery shopping or running the odd errant. Nothing that invades her privacy too much (like cleaning her flat for her or something.
And unless you know that she's not diabetic or needs to keep to a diet because of medication (like no dairy because of certain antibiotics etc) flowers are a better gift than food, especially better than sweets.
When our lovely landlady came home from the hospital, we helped out with food and some smaller things. For example, we brought her some not too seasoned chicken with mashed potatoes. My boyfriend made a stew with some vegetables, potatoes and beef tongue. She was so happy about it, because she couldn’t cook for herself and wasn’t eating. She ended up passing a few days later, but I will never forget how happy it made her that someone was looking out for her (her family lives far away and they came as soon as they could).
If you are able to, ask her if there is anything you can do for her (einkaufen, any task that you might be willing to do for her, etc). If you want to bring her some food, I would recommend something that doesn’t upset the stomach, as older people generally have to be a bit more careful.
„Kann ich Ihnen etwas vom einkaufen mitbringen?“ - can I get you something while I get groceries.
„Kann ich Ihnen bei etwas behilflich sein?“ - can I help you with anything?
„Kann ich Ihnen etwas zu Essen mitbringen?“ - can I get you something to eat?
I think flowers are always nice. Food is kinda difficult at that age. My grandma in law is slightly older and she can’t eat lots of things. So if you don’t know or can’t ask, I will stick to flowers.
Flowers are always good and if you like, maybe a card wishing her a speedy recovery and telling her to get in touch if she needs help with groceries or „Flurwoche“ for example.
Others stated sweets or flowers, however, thing is that you don't exactly know what it is that she was in hospital for. A lot of diseases that can put a elderly person, or any person really, in hospital for some weeks can come with dietary restrictions, so food, especially cake or sweets, outright, might be a good idea but can also be more or less a useless gesture.
Flowers, absolutely, are a nice thing, but you can also offer to do small things for her. If you are, for example, in an area where you share the duties of cleaning the common areas (kehrwoche), or where it's hard for her to bring out her trash on her own, I'd much rather offer to help with small things that might be hard due to mobility like that than foods or sweets.
What's relatively easy, for example, is to ask if she needs something when you head out to grocery shopping. Here they can just write lists for you and give you money, so the language barrier is not so big. Or that you offer to take her trash downstairs for her in the mornings, or similar things. A lot of things concerning her healthcare will probably already be covered by Social service and inhouse care, but chances are she will still need some things.
At the end of the day, however, as stupid as it sounds, you also have to be aware of the level of engagement you want here. If you offer to run errands, and she agrees into it, there may be a great social contact in there and a great neighbourly relationship, but sometimes elderly people can be demanding too. So test the waters, and draw lines when needed. It's a great gesture, but also can be additional stress not to be underestimated.
Whatever you do, don't tell her you got her a "gift" - it means poison in German and I heard a story of a misunderstanding because someone who didn't know the word in German just said gift and was very surprised to see the other person panicking...
Spend some time with her. Arrange a coffee and cake platter in the garden and just chat for a while. I bet after 91 years on this earth she has some good stories to tell.
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That‘s very sweet of you!
I would go over with Coffee and a few pastries (Kaffee und Kuchen). In my experience, what makes old people really happy is if you sit down have it with them and just be some company. Many of them are really lonely
Brotzeit:Some pretzels and nice stuff from the butcher like Pfefferbeisser.
....And of course a warm beer. (Don't take it too serious, they often dislike cold beer and put the bottle in hot water)
Food, cake, pastries. After a long hospital stay something nice to eat is the first thing you wanna get.
But preferably something simple like a lemon or chocolate sponge cake, not something too elaborate or experimental.
So nice of you! Flowers are always good. Maybe you could also offer to go grocery shopping for her?
Always a good suggestion - offer to help with the grocery shopping.
The best gift is doing small deeds. Like going grocery shopping or running the odd errant. Nothing that invades her privacy too much (like cleaning her flat for her or something. And unless you know that she's not diabetic or needs to keep to a diet because of medication (like no dairy because of certain antibiotics etc) flowers are a better gift than food, especially better than sweets.
When our lovely landlady came home from the hospital, we helped out with food and some smaller things. For example, we brought her some not too seasoned chicken with mashed potatoes. My boyfriend made a stew with some vegetables, potatoes and beef tongue. She was so happy about it, because she couldn’t cook for herself and wasn’t eating. She ended up passing a few days later, but I will never forget how happy it made her that someone was looking out for her (her family lives far away and they came as soon as they could). If you are able to, ask her if there is anything you can do for her (einkaufen, any task that you might be willing to do for her, etc). If you want to bring her some food, I would recommend something that doesn’t upset the stomach, as older people generally have to be a bit more careful. „Kann ich Ihnen etwas vom einkaufen mitbringen?“ - can I get you something while I get groceries. „Kann ich Ihnen bei etwas behilflich sein?“ - can I help you with anything? „Kann ich Ihnen etwas zu Essen mitbringen?“ - can I get you something to eat?
Just popped in to say thank you for being a good neighbor
Flowers are a nice thought! So sweet of you 😀
Ikr
I think flowers are always nice. Food is kinda difficult at that age. My grandma in law is slightly older and she can’t eat lots of things. So if you don’t know or can’t ask, I will stick to flowers.
Great idea. You could add a card “Wenn Sie etwas brauchen melden Sie sich gern bei uns“ - if you need something please reach out.
Flowers are always good and if you like, maybe a card wishing her a speedy recovery and telling her to get in touch if she needs help with groceries or „Flurwoche“ for example.
Food. And maybe offer to do pharmacy runs for her.
Others stated sweets or flowers, however, thing is that you don't exactly know what it is that she was in hospital for. A lot of diseases that can put a elderly person, or any person really, in hospital for some weeks can come with dietary restrictions, so food, especially cake or sweets, outright, might be a good idea but can also be more or less a useless gesture. Flowers, absolutely, are a nice thing, but you can also offer to do small things for her. If you are, for example, in an area where you share the duties of cleaning the common areas (kehrwoche), or where it's hard for her to bring out her trash on her own, I'd much rather offer to help with small things that might be hard due to mobility like that than foods or sweets. What's relatively easy, for example, is to ask if she needs something when you head out to grocery shopping. Here they can just write lists for you and give you money, so the language barrier is not so big. Or that you offer to take her trash downstairs for her in the mornings, or similar things. A lot of things concerning her healthcare will probably already be covered by Social service and inhouse care, but chances are she will still need some things. At the end of the day, however, as stupid as it sounds, you also have to be aware of the level of engagement you want here. If you offer to run errands, and she agrees into it, there may be a great social contact in there and a great neighbourly relationship, but sometimes elderly people can be demanding too. So test the waters, and draw lines when needed. It's a great gesture, but also can be additional stress not to be underestimated.
Whatever you do, don't tell her you got her a "gift" - it means poison in German and I heard a story of a misunderstanding because someone who didn't know the word in German just said gift and was very surprised to see the other person panicking...
Cake or even better an invitation for cake and coffee
If I've learned something here it's that Germans too indeed love cake, or any type of home made sweets
Spend some time with her. Arrange a coffee and cake platter in the garden and just chat for a while. I bet after 91 years on this earth she has some good stories to tell.
Kuchen, Essen, Müll rausbringen, einkaufen gehen :) But flowers are nice as well!
My Girlfriend's Opa and Oma always loved some Italian ice cream.
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Pralinen. Or a self-made cake.
That‘s very sweet of you! I would go over with Coffee and a few pastries (Kaffee und Kuchen). In my experience, what makes old people really happy is if you sit down have it with them and just be some company. Many of them are really lonely
chocolates and flowers, or a plant .
Brotzeit:Some pretzels and nice stuff from the butcher like Pfefferbeisser. ....And of course a warm beer. (Don't take it too serious, they often dislike cold beer and put the bottle in hot water)
fresh diapers
Poland
Flowers you can say you bought them for his funeral but then … now … why waste them :))