I have been formally asked to head-up a project for a community service group dh and I belong to and I'm hoping some of you ladies can help me out. Our group received $5000 from an anon donor to be used exclusively for making gift baskets of necessities for nursing homes residents in our area. I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to be given this project. It is such a wonderful cause! I want to spend $50 per basket and evenly divide the baskets between four nursing homes (25 baskets per nursing home). These baskets would be delivered around the holidays so I have a little time, but since I'm a planner I'm getting started now. I am going to call each nursing home a week or two before delivering so I can get the names of the residents most in need and put their names on all the items so the items don't "walk" out of there quite as easily. Dh, dd, ds, and I will also hand deliver all the baskets to each individual so that we can be sure that they receive the baskets and everything in them. My question is, what would be the best things to put in the baskets? I know some of you have, or have had in the past, loved ones in nursing homes and you would have more insight as to what the needs of the residents are. The only types of things I have been able to think of are socks/slipper socks, lap blanket/fleece throw, shampoo/conditioner, and deoderant, but I'm not even sure that these are good ideas so please, give me a lot of great suggestions!

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 04:08 pm:

hand lotion, body lotion, comb, baby powder or bath powder, lip salve.

Sorry, but stuff will walk, even with labels. Especially if your recipients are, as you say, the "most needy" - which translates as people who don't have visitors who will help keep track of what is happening to them and their possessions. The nursing home probably provides blankets/lap robes, and washes them regularly. Any you provide will receive the same laundry treatment, so make your selection carefully. Personal use items are the most needed in nursing homes, and residents with no friends to bring these things and no funds to buy them usually do without.

Please be sure to include a colorful, pretty card with each basket - it can be pinned/taped to the wall as a reminder to the resident. Flowers for the ladies, something a bit more masculine for the men (though it will be mostly women), and try to get a different card for each basket - some residents will check to see what others got and a different card for each one makes it more personal.

Keds used to make, and probably still makes, a nice warm sock with rubber stripes on the bottom, if that's what you mean by slipper socks. When I was getting them for my dad, they came in several colors.

By Tunnia on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 04:58 pm:

Thanks Ginny! I have added your suggestions to my lists of ideas. I know that things will "walk" no matter what we do, but I would feel better putting the names on them anyway because at least I will feel that I tried my best. Also, one of the reasons we will be hand-delivering the baskets, other than a chance to sit for a few minutes and visit with the people, is to make sure that they actually receive them. Isn't it sad that people would steal from those who can not defend themselves?!?!

The socks with the rubber on the bottom is what I was thinking of. They keep your feet warm, but won't let you slip when you try to walk in them.

That's a great idea about the cards! I just told that idea to my dd and she wants to make the cards instead of me buying them.

By Mommyof5 on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 05:38 pm:

I found this list at desertministries.org
Suggested items for your gift basket:

Facial tissues
Lap blankets
Large print calendars
Pajamas
Cologne or perfume
Lotions
Deodorant (not spray)
Sweaters
Gloves
Shaving cream
Socks/footies
Toothbrushes
Slippers
Stationary
All occasion cards
New stuffed animals
Games

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 06:08 pm:

I think it's terrific that your daughter wants to make the cards. That's a lovely thought!

By Mrsheidi on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 09:42 pm:

My mom is in a nursing home and these are some of the things that she likes:
Nail polish
Nail file
Nail clippers
Perfume
Pretty smelling lotion
(I like the idea of a large print calendar. We use a dry erase calendar.)
Nice cork board so the activities person can post the daily activities on there
Something to put on their wall that has babies/puppies and a little saying or something funny.
Slippers
Poligrip
Jewelry like a cheap bracelet

I think it's wonderful that you're doing this!

By Cocoabutter on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:42 pm:

I don't have any experience with nursing homes, but the first thing that came to my mind was soothing bath beads, or stuff from Bath and Body Works. Of course, being in a nursing home, they may beed help in the bath. So maybe that isn't such a good idea.

Don't forget the men. Maybe some fishing or golfing magazines, or Newsweek or Time. Maybe some models of airplanes, if they have steady hands. Anything to occupy their time.

Maybe some old movies on DVD, or some CDs of big band era music, or old fashioned country (my grandma liked that), or gospel. Maybe some classic novels. My other grandma loves mysteries.

By Tarable on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 10:44 am:

I worked at a nursing home for 3 years and I found that the things that made those residents who needed the most happy was anything that they could call thier own.. especially if you could get something that was pretty (for the ladies) like slippers or a robe. They all love cards and most of them keep every card they get, but as Ginny said you need to make sure that they have different cards. If you are doing it for christmas you might see if different people in your group will donate a couple of different christmas cards each. I know I have a ton of left over christmas cards that don't match anymore.

I think it is great what you are doing. I really miss working at the nursing home, but it is a really hard job sometimes.

By Tunnia on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 04:11 pm:

Thanks so much ladies! You have been a huge help and it looks like I'll have plenty to choose from when making the baskets. One more question...I'd like put the items in something the people can use and it just seems to me that a basket would be pretty useless to someone in a nursing home. Any ideas???

By Tunnia on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:39 am:

I am thinking of making wheelchair/walker bags for the nursing home project. So far I have only found the directions for a small bag (13"x5"). I know there are some people in nursing homes that do not require a wheelchair or walker, but I'm thinking that these people can hang their bags from a bed railing or somewhere in their room. What do you ladies think? Good, useful item or not? Good size or too small?

By Tarable on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 12:19 pm:

That is a great idea.. I know that at the nursing home I worked at the employees would chip in and buy the materials to make people those kind of bags because we had problems with people trying to use their walkers and carry stuff at the same time, and it caused some falls. You can make them easily and it will make the gift more special becaues it is handmade and took more time and thought than throwing everything in a basket. Good luck and it is great of you to be thinking of those who don't have many to pamper them.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 01:42 pm:

I know we used one on the back of my dad's wheelchair, and one for Mom when she was using a walker. What I'd do is measure a walker, and make it wide enough to fit on the walker without interfering with the person's handgrip, and maybe 6 - 8 inches deep. For a wheelchair, I know they have carriers on the back of them at hospitals more than large enough to hold a hospital chart. Or are you thinking of something that will fasten on one arm of the wheelchair so the resident can reach it - in that case you have to measure to not interfere with the wheels.

I suggest you do some measuring first. You'd need a good heavy material - a canvas or heavy denim, to hold up. Velcro for fastening is always very good.

Is your daughter part of a girl scout or brownie troop or a Sunday School group - could they get involved in this project also? That would spread the joy, and maybe they'd do some visiting also.

By Tunnia on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 02:27 pm:

Thanks for the suggestions. I was planning to make the type that would go on the arm of the wheelchair so that the resident can reach their tissues, glasses, book, etc on their own. My dd is a junior member of the Auxiliary, but she is currently the only active Junior we have. She does like to sew so I'm sure she will help me with the project. I would need to make about 100 and the pattern I have looks very easy and straight-forward. I will do some measuring though, just to be safe.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 03:23 pm:

One thing that might be helpful is putting ties on the lower corners of the carry bags so they can be tied down to the wheelchair or walker frame and not flap out and get in the way of anything.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 03:38 pm:

Oh, and what about some sachets for the ladies, to put in the drawers with their clothes? Or, my mom would take bars of scented soap and put them in her lingerie drawers until they ran out of scent, and then use them as soap.

By Kiki on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 08:24 am:

I worked in a nursing home several years back and the first thing that came to mind was pj's. Some of the pj's they wore were so worn out. CDs are also a good bet.

You might also want to call the nursing home and find out what that person may need. Some of these people living in nursing homes have no one and rely on donations from generous people. It's really sad to see that but it's wonderful to hear about your project. Good luck and keep us posted about the outcome.

By Tunnia on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 09:29 am:

Thanks again for the ideas and if you have any more I'd love to hear them too! I am so excited about this project!

Ginny, that is funny that you mentioned the sachets. I thought of those yesterday and added them to my list of possibilities. What a great idea to make them out of an item that could still be use after the scent is gone! I also added magnifying glasses to my list.

Kiki, I am going to call the nursing homes closer to the time we take the "baskets" to the homes. That way I can get the names and needs of the individuals getting the items. I definitely want to put male type items in the men's baskets and female type items in the women's baskets and I would find out at that time whether there are any special needs for an individual.