Filling Christmas Stocking for Someone in Nursing Home

[MIGrandma]

My Mom is now living in a nursing home, and I want to fill a stocking for her for Christmas. So far I have a "candy cane" filled with small Reese's peanut butter cups, a tiny bag of Lindor truffles, a pair of warm winter gloves, and one of those old-fashioned kid's toys of a Christmas elf face with black stuff (magnet shavings I think) and a little "pencil" you use to pull up the shavings onto the face through the plastic to give him a beard, and hair. I'm also going to put in a small bottle of hand lotion, but haven't come up with any other ideas so thought I would ask here. I know she will love a stocking full of surprises.

 

[aejammers]

Some socks with the non-slip backing on the bottom. A favorite soap or fragrance. Some sachets for her drawer (do they make those anymore?). A puzzle book or a new paperback. A warm pashmina or wide scarf that she can wrap around her shoulders or put on her lap. Some scratch-off lottery tickets.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Does she write letters? Maybe some postage stamps. Does she read or do crossword puzzles? How about a "coupon" book -- this coupon is good for a movie night out with the family, or restaurant. This coupon good for a hair appointment, or manicure, pedicure. Little pictures of family members with a magnet on the back for her refrigerator door. If she doesn't have a refrigerator, then small framed pictures for a wall.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Lip balm, a small vial of body spray, a stuffed animal (my granny loved her little stuffed animal when she was in a nursing home), some blank note cards or blank get well and birthday cards from the dollar tree (she can give them to other residents or staff when appropriate), some mints.

 

[katie01]

I work in a nursing home, I think the items you have on your list now are great. Where I work I know the residents really like to have fresh fruit, because it is usually just canned on the menu. Something like Cuties would keep for awhile especially if there is access to a mini fridge. Crossword puzzle books or Sudoko books seem popular with many people there. Also cute small seasonal decorations or picture frames with a family make the room cheerier and are a nice conversation starter for visitors coming to see the resident

 

[Frozen Canuck]

You have gotten some great suggestions here, especially the fresh fruit and stuffed animal ones. I know both of my grandmas would have enjoyed those. One item that came to mind was a calendar with easy to read numbers and dates circled for important family events like birthdays or anniversaries. You could also add small packages of soft tissues (my Grandma carried them with her everywhere), a magazine she enjoys, yarn or other supplies if she likes to/is still able to craft and keep her hands busy, an easy to hold pen and a note pad, some eyeglass lens cleaner and a new cleaning cloth, or some costume jewelry. It has been more than a few years now since I had someone in a care home to buy for. I remember we sometimes bought my grandma a new nightgown or even a bed jacket for when she could no longer get out of bed. Does she like to keep water or other drinks available in her room?...perhaps a Tervis tumbler, which can be used with both hot and cold drinks, but won't shatter if it is dropped.

Also, this might not be something that would work for your stocking stuffer ideas, but one of the coolest things that I saw while visiting my first-grade teacher in her room (she is nearly 100 years old now!) was a word graph that her family had made for her birthday. It was filled with words that family members and friends used to describe her and then someone printed it out and framed it. What a beautiful testament to her life and a great conversation piece for people who came to visit her.

 

[AppleDumpling]

LOL, I remember that toy-- Wooly Willy! If she likes stuff like that, how about another small toy/brain teaser like a Rubik's cube or one of those solitaire peg games, like Hi-Q? Other suggestions: paperback books, playing cards, small jigsaw puzzle, lipstick, compact or other makeup items if she wears it, hair pins, shower cap, nail polish, emery boards, pocket tissue packets, and herbal tea bags or flavored coffee packs/Kcups if she likes them and has the means to make it. As pp mentioned, photos of family/grandkids in frames or small photo album. Another idea is a pair of inexpensive reading glasses, the kind you get in a drugstore. My grandmother was always losing/misplacing them, so kept several pairs in different places around her apartment as well as in her purse. Or maybe just a new colorful eyeglass case.

 

[Jaya]

A good nail file or perhaps a small nailcare set.

 

[MIGrandma]

Great suggestions, I appreciate all your help and it looks like I'll be able to more than fill her stocking now.

 

[NewRVLady]

Small photo album with pics of loved ones- even her deceased parents and write each person's name on each photo- old people often forget names of loved ones

 

[PigletsPal2]

Depending on how much you want to spend and how aware she still is (i.e., the medical issues are physical, not mental), she'd probably enjoy a Nintendo DS with a couple of Brain Age games. I got this for Christmas a couple of years ago, and after getting over being slightly annoyed, I was hooked! The games are challenging but fun and I was able to get my brain age down to 39! And I'm almost 69! It's calculated based on the player's scores on a series of games. I also learned how to do Sudoku problems. Well worth the money!

Queen Colleen

 

[sailorstitch]

Socks! Those things go missing like crazy in a nursing home. When my dad was still alive we'd get him a pack of socks. A few days later they were all gone and we never saw them again.

sailorstitch

 

[sailorstitch]

Depending on how much you want to spend and how aware she still is (i.e., the medical issues are physical, not mental), she'd probably enjoy a Nintendo DS with a couple of Brain Age games. I got this for Christmas a couple of years ago, and after getting over being slightly annoyed, I was hooked! The games are challenging but fun and I was able to get my brain age down to 39! And I'm almost 69! It's calculated based on the player's scores on a series of games. I also learned how to do Sudoku problems. Well worth the money!

Queen Colleen

Hmmm...... I wonder if my mom would like that. She could play with my old DS Lite. Thanks for the idea!

sailorstitch

 

[AppleDumpling]

The Nintendo DS suggestion gave me another idea. What about an iPod loaded with music from her era?

 

[ronandannette]

LOL, I remember that toy-- Wooly Willy! If she likes stuff like that, how about another small toy/brain teaser like a Rubik's cube or one of those solitaire peg games, like Hi-Q? Other suggestions: paperback books, playing cards, small jigsaw puzzle, lipstick, compact or other makeup items if she wears it, hair pins, shower cap, nail polish, emery boards, pocket tissue packets, and herbal tea bags or flavored coffee packs/Kcups if she likes them and has the means to make it. As pp mentioned, photos of family/grandkids in frames or small photo album. Another idea is a pair of inexpensive reading glasses, the kind you get in a drugstore. My grandmother was always losing/misplacing them, so kept several pairs in different places around her apartment as well as in her purse. Or maybe just a new colorful eyeglass case.

I just googled to see if I recognized the toy being discussed...I shouldn't have done that {{shudder}}.

 

[mamacatnv]

When my Mother was in a care facility some of the wish list items were:
cute/fun holiday socks
Chap Stick of some sort - Mother liked the lightly tinted shimmering Burts Bee's (the long skinny ones)
Nail art stickers/jewels
Hair ties, bows, bands and barrettes.
Scented body spray and lotion.
Costume jewelry was also a big hit.
Stationary with stamped envelopes - nothing more frustrating than an envelope to mail and no postage

 

[MIGrandma]

Socks! Those things go missing like crazy in a nursing home. When my dad was still alive we'd get him a pack of socks. A few days later they were all gone and we never saw them again.sailorstitch

I do my Mom's laundry (my choice, but I think after Christmas I'm going to let them do it) but I do have her name written on every item in permanent black marker, even socks (on the toe so it isn't seen). So far we haven't lost any yet.

I just googled to see if I recognized the toy being discussed...I shouldn't have done that {{shudder}}.

Why are you shuddering? I've always thought they were cute, and the kids/grandkids enjoy them in their stockings and seeing what crazy hairstyles, etc. they can make on them. Cheap fun.

 

[ronandannette]

Why are you shuddering? I've always thought they were cute, and the kids/grandkids enjoy them in their stockings and seeing what crazy hairstyles, etc. they can make on them. Cheap fun.

Some of the images that popped up were, shall we just say, not the toy you're talking about (although some of them were).

 

[MIGrandma]

Some of the images that popped up were, shall we just say, not the toy you're talking about (although some of them were).

Oh!

 

[zoemurr]

How about a few solar toys? https://www.dollartree.com/Solar-Dancing-Toys/1094/index.cat My MIL is obsessed with them, and we often see people buying them for nursing home patients. I believe the new holiday ones are coming out at the Dollar Tree Friday morning (they sell out quickly) but Five Below has some cute ones all of the time. I picked up Rudolph and Clarice there for her on Thursday.