People who live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities look forward to celebrating Christmas just like you! However, they have unique needs and the perfect gift for them may be different from what you would buy others on your shopping list.
Before you drive to the store or search online, review this list of Christmas gift ideas for nursing home and assisted living residents. We talked to experts who work in long-term care facilities to understand the unique needs of their residents and have tips to help you select the perfect gift.
Clothing
Clothes may be the last item on your child or grandchild’s Christmas list, but it is a top need for residents of long-term care facilities.
“Gowns and sleepwear for men and women are helpful,” said Tawanda Sharp, Activity Director at Arlington Rehab & HealthCare Center in Birmingham. “This lets the resident have a personal sense of choosing their clothes at night and makes them feel good. The different styles or patterns help them express their individuality.”
Sharp also recommends clothing that stretches because that makes it easier for the residents to dress themselves and for caregivers who assist them. Other go-to clothing gifts according to Sharp are hats, mittens and scarves.
“It’s sometimes hard for them to get their fingers into gloves,” said Teresa Messick, Life Enrichment Director at Wesley Gardens in Montgomery. “Mittens are much easier for them to slide on and use. Buy socks with non-slip treads. If they are walking, you want that grip, and fluffy socks are sometimes slick. Slippers need to have a heel and strap and needs to be slip resistant. Sweaters that are light enough to layer with other clothes are a good choice.”
One last tip on clothes, check with staff members make sure you purchase the correct size.
Bath and personal care products
“It’s helpful for them to bring in name brand body washes, shampoos, toothpastes and similar items. This helps residents who can’t afford to buy them,” said Lisa Anthony, Activity Director at West Gate Village in Brewton.
However, Anthony says there are a few toiletry items you need to avoid like bar soap, travel size/trial size soaps and shampoos and items containing oil and powder. “We can’t use bar soap for safety reasons,” said Anthony.
The type of container the bath and personal care products are in is also important.
“Any personal care item such as lotion or body wash is best in a pump bottle,” said Messick. “They don’t have to lift the bottle which is easier for someone with arthritis to use.”
Candy
Sweet treats are part of the holidays. One especially popular item among long-term care residents is mini-candy canes.
“The mini-candy canes are great because they can finish it in one setting and it reminds them of their childhood,” said Anthony.
Other popular items are fashioned candy such butterscotch and ribbon candy because those remind them of their youth or bring back fond memories. Of course, chocolate of any kind is good choice too.
One caveat, check with the facility staff before purchasing candy or other food items. There may be dietary restrictions if you loved one has diabetes or other medical conditions.
Media: puzzles, books, pictures, music
Puzzles are a popular activity, but you need to look for ones with larger pieces because they’re easier for residents to handle. Messick said puzzles with 300-500 pieces are ideal. She also recommends taking a family photo and having it made into a puzzle for your loved one. That will remind them of good memories.
Nursing home and assisted living residents enjoy listening to music, but they’re not likely to use one of the streaming services. popular with the younger crowd. Sharp says CDs are best and said her residents are specifically looking for CDs containing country music and gospel music. Since CDs are becoming harder to find, Sharp now recommends people give radios that have Bluetooth capability. That allows residents with smartphones to stream the music.
Those considering giving their loved on a puzzle book should stick to word search books.
“Word search is the main puzzle book that residents want,” said Anthony. “The books with a combination of puzzles are not that helpful, because most residents are unable to do crossword and Sudoku puzzles.”
Finally, consider making a photo book for your relative. Messick offers the following advice on photo books: “Make the pictures large so they can easily see it with a little note about who is in the picture. This keeps them connected with family they may not see very often.”
Crafts
Arts and crafts are an essential part of life in a nursing home or assisted living facility. They give residents meaningful group activities and provide an opportunity to socialize. This is one gift you can give the facility that will benefit many residents.
“Craft supplies are very helpful. As an activity director you can never have enough craft supplies,” said Sharp.
Crafts that can be completed independently by a resident are also needed.
“If you have residents who enjoy arts and crafts, you will have projects they could complete in one hour on their own,” said Anthony. “They usually work on these projects in the evenings.”
Are you part of a group that wants to sponsor one resident or several residents?
The first thing to do is call a local nursing home or assisted living facility and ask to speak to the staff member in charge of Christmas planning. They will be able to point you in the right direction.
“We keep a list of residents who don’t have active family members,” said Sharp. “When someone wants to adopt residents, I connect them with the residents who have the least family support.”
“We basically do an Angel Tree for the residents,” added Anthony. “We get a list of three gifts they (a resident) want. If the resident if unable to communicate, I ask their primary nurses and certified nursing assistants what that resident needs and they give me a list. I then attach the lists to Christmas cards and assign a random number to protect the resident’s privacy. We have a group that every year adopts 15 residents and that is a God send!”
Still not sure what to buy? Just ask!
Simply call the nursing home and ask to speak to the staff member in charge of Christmas planning.
“Ask them ‘What is your need? What can I get that is for every single person?’ Then get a count of how many women and how many men and provide that many of the items for each,” said Anthony.
Finally, your presence can be your present. You share your time and talents as a volunteer. This can include performing music, singing songs or teaching a lesson on your favorite hobby.
