Ideas for Little Gifts for Nursing Home Residents
 

I need some ideas of small things I could make for the men and women residents in the nursing home.
Thanks All.

Those bags that hang on the walkers would be great.

http://www.sewingsupport.com/sewing-...lker-bags.html

Lap quilts for wheel chair users. Be sure and put name on quilt as things get lost in nursing homes.

My mother was in a nursing home last year and AlienQuilter is right--the walker bags are very useful, most residents had them and used them. Another item was similar but it hung on the siderail of the bed and held the tv remote. One of the residents had a "foot warmer" (I don't know what it's really called) that looked like the microwave potato bags but it was large enough that she had her feet in it when she was in her wheelchair. Elderlly folks are always cold, especially their feet. Her daughter made them in really bright colors.

Little bags. Zippered bags might be nice. They could play with the zipper. A handle so they could put it around their wrist would be nice.

My mother always had cold hands and had quilts wrapped round them. My father had gout and had I been sewing at that time I would have made him some large slippers with very soft underneath and soft fastenings. They would have been useful for an aunt with leukaemia who ha users on her feet.
Some people like their head covered to keep the heat in.
Loads of bags of different sizes to hang up in their rooms as they can't pick items off the floor.

Our guild made gift bags for the local adult living center where we have our Christmas dinner last year. Some of things we included in the bags: a "caddy" that can be draped over the edge of a chair or at the edge of the bed to hold remote, pencil, puzzle book, etc.; door banners; table mat or placemat; fabric covered composition notebook covers (there are lots of free tutorials out there, but I used a pattern from Indygo Junction) - they are nice for notes, addresses, phone numbers, etc. The residents really enjoyed their gifts.

Ask the nursing home what they would like for the residents. My DIL is the director of nursing in our local care facility and she said no slippers unless they have nonslip bottoms and definately no bags to put feet in. The residents will stand up and forget the foot bag and fall. The residents who are bed ridden generally do not wear socks or slippers. The nurses check their feet and skin for signs of sores, swelling and discoloration. She did say many of the residents never have any visitors and suggested a gift of your time to visit would brighten their days. She also said the walker bags would be a good idea for the ambulatory residents.

Wine shades for their tables. Buy the battery operated candles in packages at the dollar store and also get the plastic glasses there.

I made my Mom a little bag that buttoned onto the walker handle to hold her NTG tablets. That way they were always near her should she need them. I think the best idea is the bags to hang on the walker, though and the caddy to hold the remote for the TV.
Sue