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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Ideas for stockings for elderly residents in care home

51 replies

recklessgran · 08/12/2016 00:36

I have been asked to help with providing Christmas stockings for 20 residents in a care home. The budget is quite small [Approx £10-£15 each].
The idea is for each resident to wake on Christmas morning to find a stocking on their bed. The first challenge is to get the stockings as cheaply as possible. Have seen some in the pound shop but they are plain red with a white band at the top. Any ideas from you crafters? Is there anything stick on that could go on the white band at the top to jazz them up a bit. Then there is the question of content. We have already thought of buying the multi packs of 4 floral talcs from M&S [£3 on offer]
and splitting them, likewise guest soaps although wondering if they would be too small to be useful? Will also have a satsuma and possibly a box of Maltesers [£1 in B&M]. Will try to get something personal for each resident e.g. a paperback or puzzle book depending on their preference. Has anyone any experience of this? Really looking for some inspiration to make this lovely for them.[18 women and 2 men.]
Thank you so much.

OP posts:
BlossomCat · 12/12/2016 23:04

We're putting a small bottle of babycham in the stockings at our care home, along with a notebook and pen, chocolate the obligatory satsuma and other tat!
Make sure that you keep the stockings in a safe place for next year. Save a place on reception to return them to, it will save you money for more goodies next year.
babycham

Melfish · 12/12/2016 23:10

I'm always stocking up on shower gel for DM. Superdrug also do mini dry shampoos by CoLab which smell better than Batiste. Small pot of Nivea or Astral?

Bobochic · 12/12/2016 23:12

My aunt lives in a care home. She likes me to bring her really nice tea (in bags) and I got her some spiced Christmas tea bags that are a bit like a tea version of mulled wine.

stillwantrachelshair · 12/12/2016 23:18

Places like B&M have "old fashioned" games like Jacks & Pick up Sticks for a couple of quid.
The words have 3 paperbacks for £5. Are the residents cognitively able to retain enough to read a whole paperback though?
Lovely idea.

MrsDustyBusty · 12/12/2016 23:23

Is there some way you could download some music for them? Amazon have lots to buy cheaply:

www.amazon.co.uk/Easy-Listening/b/ref=dmsn-mp3-g-el?node=78136031

I don't know what the legalities are though, but when my grandmother was in a hospice, a very kind nurse said that music from older people's youth could give them great comfort and enjoyment and it worked in our case.

Bobochic · 13/12/2016 00:08

My aunt, who is 84, likes things like face cream and eyeshadow. All the ladies in her care home get their nails done by a visiting beautician. Hand cream and nail varnish?

Original poster
recklessgran · 13/12/2016 00:33

Bless them. Yes, they do have their hair and nails done and their beards waxed! Have made a spreadsheet now and allocated all your suggestions to various different residents allowing for their needs and interests. Thank you yet again-you have made my job so much easier tomorrow.We have a few that like a good book and one 103 year old who reads without the need for glasses. Amazing lady-deaf as a post but doesn't miss a thing. She was a talented dressmaker and made costumes for the West end theatres back in the day.Simply love the elderly they have all had such interesting lives!

OP posts:
Snog · 13/12/2016 07:03

You gotta report back!Xmas Grin

Original poster
recklessgran · 13/12/2016 07:05

I will!

OP posts:
BlossomCat · 27/12/2016 20:59

Did your residents enjoy the stockings, @recklessgran?

Original poster
recklessgran · 27/12/2016 21:17

Wow! Where to begin? Finally got it all done but had minor panic over the actual stockings. To cut a long story short ordered them from card factory and they came in two days! [Thanks dampfnudel!] Everyone had a chocolate Father Christmas, blow out thingy, satsuma, new flannel, bubble bath and talc [from M&S] a new coaster for their hot drinks, a scented sachet for their underwear drawer, posh handwash for their en suites and lens wipes for their glasses.Then we got everybody three personal gifts which were wrapped such as a bone china mug, adult colouring/puzzle book, make-up, new nicks, hairbrush, fluffy socks etc. These were chosen according to need and want and in fact I think we worked miracles with the budget thanks to you guys and Wilkinsons and a local wholesale warehouse that we have a card for. It really was great fun to do and the night staff put them on the beds at 4.00am.
Oh, the reaction! Pure joy and wonderment! Without doubt the very best thing we have ever done at Christmas in that they simply loved everything and were so appreciative of the effort and the fact that on the whole most of them hadn't had a stocking since childhood. [There were a few teary staff to be honest!] We will definitely do it again every year but will up our game next year by being prepared earlier and taking more tips from this thread about ideas and where to get stuff. Thanks everyone and hope you all had a Happy Christmas!

OP posts:
ChishandFips33 · 27/12/2016 21:23

You are all wonderful to have gone to this effort - Merry Christmas to you and your residents and families

Beewhisperer · 27/12/2016 21:24

Oh your thread just made me fill up. You are all such lovely people.

Bleurghghghgh · 27/12/2016 21:29

Oh OP this is so lovely and has brought a tear to my eye!

Lolly86 · 27/12/2016 21:34

That is lovely Flowers

Snog · 28/12/2016 07:20

Thanks OP for the update!
I can't believe how much you got for your budget, amazing.
Fantastic job Xmas Smile

BlossomCat · 28/12/2016 10:46

Oh! I am so glad that you all got such pleasure from this! Smile Well done, and thanks for letting us know.

WingsClipped · 28/12/2016 11:04

This is lovely. Well done, what an amazing idea.

mixedpeel · 28/12/2016 13:09

Oh that sounds fabulous, I'm so pleased for your residents, and well done to you and the other staff who pulled it off so well.

LumelaMme · 28/12/2016 13:56

Fantastic.

It's so nice to know that there are such lovely care homes - and such lovely carers - out there!

Original poster
recklessgran · 28/12/2016 14:19

Thanks everyone for your lovely comments. It is so heartwarming to get this kind of appreciation especially when there is so much negative stuff in the press about care in general. There are so many really brilliant homes but sadly it is the bad ones that give the rest of us a bad name. Just so lucky to love my job!

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