<p>Just heard a close friend in her 60s broke her ankle & having surgery…thinking maybe flowers, but maybe something more festive & interesting…any one have any ideas?</p>
<p>What does she like? If it was me, I would love a big bag of current magazines - I love all kinds…cooking, gardening, business, health, even junky ones like People Mag. Maybe add a couple of books or DVDs? She’ll be needing to pass time with a broken ankle…</p>
<p>A pretty housecoat. Seniors often put them on their Christmas wish lists when I consulted for a skilled Nursing facility. I didn’t have luck at macys or target. I found them at walmart, not my favorite store but reasonably priced.</p>
<p>When I broke my leg a few years ago, grabbing a bite to eat in the kitchen always turned out to be more effort than it was worth. What about a fruit basket or some other sort of prepared treat?</p>
<p>I think a little basket of “treats” is nice. When I had surgery a couple years ago, a friend brought a basket with a recently released novel, a word game book, a scented candle, some lotion, some little snack foods and some fruit. Oh yeah, since I am a Diet Coke addict she also brought a 6pack of that, lol.</p>
<p>Edible Bouquets - fresh fruit arranged like a flower arrangement. But only if she doesn’t live alone, even the small ones are alot of fruit.</p>
<p>An assortment of Lindt chocolate bars.</p>
<p>A short term Netflix membership.</p>
<p>Gift certificate for housecleaning</p>
<p>Frozen home made dinners. Really hard to get around in a non-weight bearing cast, if that is what she has. Grocery store TV dinners just have too much salt and fat - and, not a whole lot of taste either.</p>
<p>Great ideas, so far, though she is far away so I will need to mail it which precludes a couple of them.</p>
<p>One of the online flower shops (1800flowers I think) has a “happy hour” selection of arrangements. You could send her a margarita bouquet or similar, very festive.</p>
<p>g-a-s-p lamom - 60s are not seniors!!</p>
<p>somemom - this is the third broken ankle i’ve heard of this week - when i was bedridden i appreciated snacks and visits (phone calls work!)</p>
<p>I was just thinking about how people stuck in bed nowdays have it made!</p>
<p>26 years ago I was on bedrest for 10 weeks with my oldest.
No internets- no microwave- no cordless phone even ( and certainly no cell phone or even computer 
)
I didn’t even have a remote control & although my husband did manage to go grocery shopping, I had to walk up hill both ways to the kitchen in order to get a bowl of cereal for my lunch . I was supposed to be grateful I was allowed to get out of bed to use the facilities. 
</p>
<p>( oh the best part was my Mormon sister came to take me for my once a week outing- to the OB/GYN for my progesterone shot- I appreciate her help, but she wasn’t amused by the mobiles made out of IUDs 
)</p>
<p>Oh you wanted * helpful* suggestions?</p>
<p>How about a 6 month membership to a swim club, after surgery she will need to start exercising her ankle and water won’t put weight on it.</p>
<p>Someone who does errands who will pick her up and take her to get her hair washed and blown dry. </p>
<p>I agree with the junky magazines- the junkier the better. ( but cut the articles about Octo mom out- I cannot stand to hear anymore about that nut)</p>
<p>no kidding- seniors?
I think I will maybe be a senior when I am 87.
That sounds about right.</p>
<p>If she doesn’t have one a water pitcher with a filter and a water bottle with a easy to drink from nozzle. ( I like the Camelbak). She will need to drink more fluid to heal faster and to help her body process her pain meds and it is easier to keep track if you have it in a pitcher or a bottle.</p>
<p>I just got my non-weight bearing cast off my ankle, so I can answer this one.
Phone calls just to say hi. Email chats. Delivery of some of the fun stuff others have suggested. (Especially AFTER the first week.)</p>
<p>Not sure if you can do it online, but arranging to rent or borrow a wheel chair makes a huge difference. You can actually carry things to put them away, and working in the kitchen is a thousand times easier.</p>
<p>Having been one myself recently</p>
<p>–My favorite, an introduction to CC
–books in my areas of interest
–cookies, one friend brought me a different kind every week
–hot meal from a favorite restaurant</p>
<p>I broke my ankle in July of 2007, and was 3 months non weight bearing. I had a wheel chair–I was too fearful of crutches. I had access to a computer all day. I did lots of online jigsaw puzzle solving, and just general net surfing. My youngest gave me a 3 month subscription to Netflix. We still subscribe. </p>
<p>I cherished the phone calls. It was a long recovery. I did lots of sudoku puzzles. I caught up on my reading. I really did enjoy the Netflix.</p>
<p>When I was on bedrest for pregnancy, I liked the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Someone who would pick up library books I had asked the library to hold</li>
<li>A friend who taught me to knit (she bought some basics and a book to knit a “sampler”, which I still have and am very proud of - - and it really did teach me to knit! But this was a little bit longer term thing, as I was laid up for about 6 weeks).</li>
<li>Friends who would play Scrabble or chess or cards with me</li>
</ul>
<p>If you have any TV series on DVD, a loan of those might be appreciated.</p>
<p>I wish I had taken advantage of the time to learn to speak Italian 
You might ask her if she is interested in getting any foreign language tapes from the library, and you could pick them up for her.</p>
<p>If this person is a school teacher, how long is it usual to be off work? How long before travel is allowed (she was coming to visit me in April for spring break! )</p>
<p>No no 60’s are young. But my ladies were seniors 80’s & 90’s. The easy coverup worked well during physical therapy, visits with friends.</p>
<p>It could be 6 weeks before she is 100% back to normal, fracture healed. I’ll bet she can visit, but go running/walking with you… no way. I was going to suggest a jigsaw puzzle for when she is at home and feeling up to doing something a touch more active than reading, tv watching or computer work. They are light weight and mailable- I have a few I bought years ago I’m still planning on getting around to (and could if I would break my CC addiction). You might even do a puzzle when she visits as an activity you can do while sitting and talking.</p>