When I was a child, we had a nursing home in the small town where I lived. I remember going there every year and singing Christmas carols. There were donation drives and people were always helping the residents when they could. My family now lives in a town with multiple nursing homes and care facilities. I came up with 10 ways to help your local nursing home during the holidays or anytime of year!
10 Ways to Help Your Local Nursing Home During the Holidays
I think there is a big misconception that people living in a nursing home have everything they need. It may be true that their basic needs are being met…but these elderly people may really be lacking items that would make them so much more comfortable. Most of these residents are on an extremely fixed income. Some don't have family nearby to help. It is important that communities remember their elderly and continue to give to them when they can.
Call Your Local Nursing Home and Ask About Their Specific Needs
Every residential facility will have their own rules for donations, visitors, etc. It is best to start off by finding out what their guidelines are. I also like to find out if there are any specific needs they have or that certain residents may have. This will enable me to be very purposeful in my help.
DVD's
Most nursing homes have recreation areas for residents. These typically include a TV and DVD player. It is always nice for the residents to have new movies to watch. I know we have TONS of DVD's at home that we don't watch anymore. I also try to watch for good deals on movies during Christmas sales!
Stationery Items
Many elderly people still like to write letters by hand (shocking I know, LOL). Donating pretty stationery, pens, envelopes and even stamps is a great way to connect with the residents!
Calendars
If you are doing holiday giving…calendars
make a great gift! You can buy a variety of calendars for the year approaching…funny animals, beautiful scenery, etc. You could take them around to each resident and they can pick out their favorite calendar to hang in their room.
Crossword Puzzle & Word Find Books
A lot of residents like to work crossword puzzles
and word finds. These books are easy to find in stores and are a great donation item that many resident will enjoy.
Warm Blankets
Many older people have issues with temperature control and they feel cold a lot. Wouldn't it be nice to give them a pretty, warm fleece blanket
? There are so many nice blankets for sale at low prices…these would make a great donation!
Books
Books in large print
are always a good idea for nursing homes. Many residents love to read and like to have a new selection of books to choose from.
Magazine Subscriptions
What about donating magazine subscriptions directly to the facility? This would be a donation that would serve many residents every month and the home would really appreciate it. Get creative with your magazine subscriptions…sports, outdoors, crafts, etc. You may talk to some residents and see what magazines they would like to read.
Skin Care Items
The older we get the more fragile our skin seems to get. Good quality lotions and lip balms are items that many elderly nursing home residents need and would really appreciate.
Personal Care Items
A lot of residents need personal care items and not everything is provided for them. There can be needs for underpads for beds and other personal care type items that residents need and the costs of these products really adds up for people on a fixed income. They make great donation items.
What Will You Donate?
Does your family help your local nursing home during the holidays? What are your favorite items to donate? Do you have any touching stories to share? Let me know…let's connect!
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Thanks so much for sharing these ideas! It’s great to remember to help people of all ages, especially during the holidays. #client
Thank you for your ideals I volunteer at the local nursing home on Thrusday after noon they play BINGO some need a little HELP others need a lot. We all have lot of fun. Local churches come once a month to call the numbers and bring gift for winners. Everyone is a winner. Once a month the nursing home dose it so I try to help with a few gifts. I crochet so I made thangs like hand and leg warmers. They love it always love anything to keep them warm. I have made a few shawls. Thy love very bright colors. So I’m always looking for gifts ideals. Thanks now I can make them some gift bags to win in bingo. Thank you.
Hi Susie, sounds like you do a lot–so wonderful! I love your ideas!!
I think you are wrong about crossword puzzles and word find puzzles. They are too difficult. Resident want find-the-object, dot-to-dot (large print), and find-the-difference in the picture games.. And jigsaw puzzles! Mom is 93 and I’m a long term care ombudsman. For goodness sakes the games I have suggested will make them happy. Please get a clue.
Karen, thank you for your opinion…although I am not sure why you feel the need to be rude with your remarks. I have had multiple staff from our local care homes tell me that some of their residents like crossword puzzles and word find puzzles. Not every resident is the same and I was merely offering ideas that could work for different people. There is not a one size fits all way to help local nursing homes. I hope you have a good day.
I agree Jamie. My step dad loves the word finds and crossword puzzles. And yes, the ideas Karen mentioned are also great ideas, but as you said, no need to be rude. One suggestion I would like to add, is my step dad asks for the larger print. It makes it easier for him to see. Thank you for your ideas.
Great idea how about color books? Or paint by number might be too hard
Due to a severe double ankle break I was in rehab for almost 2 months. Most rehabs are actually set in nursing homes. My roommate was 90+ years old and loved doing word searches. Everyone is different. Once I’m fully recovered I intend to volunteer there. Thanks for some great ideas.
I realize this was posted years ago and do agree about the rudeness, but moving on. The home I work in has ages approximately 19 to 80’s or however long they are blessed with life. Since such a vast age range many types of books are appreciated.
Even though a resident could be 35 their mind could be of a 12 year old and ride around with their baby dolls. Some beautiful souls need to be read easy books to, maybe not understanding a word we read, but looking at us as if they might. We also have very bright folks with Ipads, desk and laptops, communication devices that love road atlas, wordsearch, Bibles (yes on the large print some can do regular print.) and books out of my scope of reading.
If someone is a seamstress, I had made a sunglasses holder, cotton outside flannel for no scratch protection that hangs on the back of their wheelchair, leg bags and tube covers, wheelchair bags that are more rectangular looking down into opening of them (straight bags too hard to get into). It all depends on the individual of what they can handle.
When my Mom was in a nursing home, arthritis prevented her from being able to fasten/unfasten her pants. She didn’t want to wear elastic waist so I sewed Velcro across the buttonhole and the other side of Velcro behind the button. She could manage by herself and it still looked like she had “regular” pants! She was so thrilled, she showed them to the other residents!
Hello. These are some awesome suggestions. I like to crochet blankets for them. TFS
God Bless 💖