Need ideas for nursing home residents

Squoozy

Thanks for all the ideas, especially the nail varnish one. My mum loves having her nails done but I had thought perhaps it was just her. I'll definately get some nail varnish and maybe some manicure sets.

magic57

Someone mentioned blankets. Primark did lovely fleecy blankets last year. I bought some for myself and my elderly mother-in-law wanted one too. They were only £4.00 and really light and soft.

Or how about flameless candles with led lights inside so they can't burn the place down. Nice at night time
Scented room sprays. Avon do nice ones. You can also get pillow sprays that are supposed to help you sleep.
Men are more difficult. Wallets, glasses cases? You can get some glasses cases that stand up.
For everyone combined. a bird table or bird bath.If they are near the window they could enjoy watching the birds visit.

Good luck. :A

vikki_louise

Mohdoh?
Something to put up on the wall, I get bored of the boring picture in my hosp room!
Magnets with magnetic board if they don't have one or cork board with pins to put up photos, happy pictures and any cards
For those with lots of family one of those big photo holders that hang on the door so the whole door is covered in their loved ones.
Fiber optic ufo's or similiar for those unable to do anything, very relaxing to watch. Nice mobiles to hang up (especially nice spinning ones) or gentle windchimes

vikki_louise

Mohdoh?
Something to put up on the wall, I get bored of the boring picture in my hosp room!
Magnets with magnetic board if they don't have one or cork board with pins to put up photos, happy pictures and any cards
For those with lots of family one of those big photo holders that hang on the door so the whole door is covered in their loved ones.
Fiber optic ufo's or similiar for those unable to do anything, very relaxing to watch. Nice mobiles to hang up (especially nice spinning ones) or gentle windchimes

Chris25

What a lovely, thoughtful idea.

I get my mum large-print puzzle books from places like The Works but children's shops are worth looking at too.

Hand cream is great, especially if someone else can massage it in.

If you were looking for small top-up pressies, I find that those little packs of seasonally printed handkerchiefs are well liked.

I love someone's suggestion of different musical instruments and the birdbaths/bird tables!

And the one for the photobooks - something people could look at together or just pick up, time & time again! I suppose with that though, you take away the element of each opening an individual present on Christmas morning, unless you get them a little thing to unwrap.

I think you must give a lot of pleasure over, what can be for some, a sad & reflective time of year.

jezebel1

hi i know sweets have already but i find all the older people i know like sweets they remenber eating when they were younger i myself am doing a hamper for my fellas parents his dad who is scottish lots of sweets he cant get here and his mum sweets she liked as a child ect all cellophaned up with ribbons ect maybe a smaller version for individuals.:)
p.s thinks its great what your doing x

Valli

What about some really simple tapestry sets (ie the ones designed for kids)? (For stiff fingers they would be easier to manipulate, for those with poor eyesight easier to see)

Jigsaws?

davidflora

The largest movements usually start on a very small scale. A few people see a better way of doing something, or begin to question the basic assumptions we all take for granted. They begin to experiment, to try new approaches, and then take their message to others. A few more will hear the call, and join the movement, and it begins to gain momentum. Eventually, if it is successful, it will cause a sea-change in thinking, so that we now wonder how we ever accepted the old ways of thinking and doing. A classic example: restraint reduction (see “The Restraint Reduction Movement,” p.00).

It’s happening again—and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. It will radically affect how nursing homes, and to some extent assisted living facilities, operate. It goes by many names—resident centered care, culture change, Eden alternative, re-engineering (to borrow a business term), or resident-directed care. While each of these labels may have a slightly different definition (and these definitions may vary from person to person), the movement reflects a fundamentally different way of structuring care settings.

shazziere

hiya...im a community nurse and often ask the "homes" (residential or nursing) to provide really thick knee length socks(cozy fluffy bed sock kinda things like in primark)Often the clients are moved around in wheelchairs and the thick socks offer more protection to very frail fragile skin on shins instead of thin tights/popsocks..

Bogof_Babe

My mum used to like to have a pack of wet wipes in her handbag and another on her bedside table, as she sometimes wanted to freshen up her hands or face but couldn't get to the sink as she was bed bound latterly, or just too tired to bother!

She also got through lots of handbag packs (and larger boxes) of tissues. Not very exciting suggestions but useful and I'm sure would be appreciated.

If they get taken to communal bathrooms for showers or baths, how about sponge bags for them to keep their own soap etc. in?