Nursing home staff members have rewarding and strenuous jobs. Staff—from activities directors to nurses to staff members who serve meals—work under demanding circumstances with elderly residents who often are facing difficult aging issues, including moodiness and memory-degenerative diseases. Let the nursing home staff at your loved one's nursing home know how much you appreciate their hard work.

A "small, portable radio" makes a great gift for a nursing home, according to Ohio State University's "Senior Series." This gift serves two purposes. It will allow the nursing home staff member to play some of her favorite music or to play the radio while in her office or in the main room of the home. It also will delight residents, who can listen to the music or get updated news broadcasts. This gift provides entertainment, aids in relieving stress and helps build connections between staff and residents.

Fill a decorative storage box or a basket with "relaxation items" for your favorite nursing home staff member. These items will be especially helpful on difficult days at the nursing home in which the staff member cares for a resident who is irritable and sometimes aggressive or violent. Some examples of relaxation items are an eye compress, a scented candle, a bar of chocolate, a CD compilation of classical music, a magazine or book, a journal and pen and a pretty pair of earrings or other piece of jewelry.

Purchase customized apparel that fits the job duties of the nursing home staff. For example, you might want to design a T-shirt on a website for your mother or father's nurse. The t-shirt could read the following: "I love my nurse!" or simply the name of the nurse, such as "Nurse Anne." This idea translates easily to a hat, an apron, a sweatshirt and a fabric bag. Personalize it for the specific staff member you have in mind.