Holiday Hints for Residents, Families, Friends & Caregivers
The holiday season is a time for reconnecting with family, friends, and neighbors. Residents of long-term care facilities often need and enjoy your attention during the holidays. We hope these holiday hints will help loved ones and long-term care residents enjoy the holiday season.
Holiday Visiting Tips
Holidays can be meaningful enriching times for both the resident and family. Maintaining (or adapting) old family rituals and traditions can help all family members feel a sense of belonging and family identity. For residents of a long-term care facility, a link with a familiar past is reassuring and builds self-esteem, i.e. “Look at the beautiful family I created!”
Residents, it is okay to set your own limits and be clear about them with others. You do not have to live up to the expectations of others. It is your right to choose whether or not you accept invitations to go out and visit family and friends. It is your right to accept or not accept visitors at the facility. You are in charge!
Staff, we encourage you to be aware of situations that may confuse or frustrate residents with memory loss such as: noise and loud conversations; strange distracting surroundings; changes in light intensity-too bright or too dark; or change in regular routine.
Most severely ill residents or residents with memory disorders may be able to enjoy visits more if they have adequate rest before the visit. Prepare visitors by explaining what has happened to the person with memory loss or disability. Give examples of what may take place like inattention, wandering, or difficulty hearing. Explain that the resident may not remember what is expected and acceptable. A memory-impaired resident may not remember the visitor’s name or relationship. Explain that memory loss is a result of an illness or isolation and not intentional. Stress with visitors that what is important is the meaningfulness of the moment spent together and not what the person is able to do or remember.
If you or other visitors notice that a resident is in pain, dirty, or suffering from a change in their condition get help for the resident immediately. Calmly speak with the facility’s Director of Nursing, Administrator, or other management staff. Describe your specific concerns and ask that problems be addressed as soon as possible. The Ombudsman can help monitor the situation and make sure problems stay fixed. If you feel your concerns were not taken seriously, please don’t hesitate to contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman toll free at 1-800-372-2991 or email us at nhoa@ombuddy.org.
Home for the Holidays
Each year, we hear from families asking, “My loved one lives in a nursing home. Can they come home for the holidays?”
The answer is YES! Your loved one can come and go.
If they are using Medicaid, they are allowed to be away from the facility for several days each year for purely social reasons. If they are using Medicare, the facility can bill Medicare for the day’s stay if they return by midnight.
With advanced preparation, going home can be the best gift your loved one could have this season. You should talk with the nursing staff at least two to three days in advance of the outing so they can prepare for it. The staff should package needed medication, bag up incontinence supplies, write down special food preparation instructions, and anything else you might need to do. Ask the staff to give instructions to you in writing. If you run into trouble, you can always call the nursing home and ask questions. If there is a medical emergency while home, call 911 as you would for anyone else and then alert the nursing staff at the facility. If your loved one tires and wants to return to her facility earlier than expected, respect her/his wishes. With a little planning and a lot of love, it should go just great!
If leaving the facility is not something the resident would enjoy, then don’t feel pressure to get them “home for the holidays.” Think ahead about what might make celebrating at the facility as enjoyable as possible.
Sharing your time and love is priceless. Happy Holidays!
Holiday Gifts and Treats
Over the years residents and families have shared some wonderful ideas. Here are a few of those gift ideas.
Ask the resident what gifts they would like to receive. If the resident is unable to guide you check with the facility activity or social services directors to see if they have suggestions.
- Pen and pencil set, journals, stationery, box of greeting cards, and stamps
- Twin size quilts or cozy lap blankets
- Comfortable clothing such as robes, flannel shirts, slippers, pajamas, cardigan sweaters, sweat suits, jackets, gloves, earmuffs, house dresses that snap up the front, warm socks, shoes, and scarves as well as celebratory seasonal clothing, and Sunday best outfits- pay special attention to any details the resident may desire such as Velcro closures, stretch materials, size, color, and hem.
- Costume jewelry and wrist watches with large numbers
- Electric razor
- Perfume/aftershave
- Books and word puzzle books. During respiratory illness outbreaks residents say they significantly increase reading and working both word and jigsaw puzzles.
- Cookies, pie, cake, chocolate, hard candy and sugar-free candy, soft drinks, drink packets for bottled water, peanut butter or cheese snack crackers, and chips
- Lip moisturizers, makeup, moisturizing and/or scented body wash, lotions, and powders.
- Coins and a change purse for purchasing snacks from vending machines.
- Gift cards for online retailers so residents can order clothing and other items they pick out on the internet. Be sure to talk with facility administration to determine how to prevent theft of these cards and how staff may help the resident search for items on the retailer’s website.
- Music (old favorites)/audio books and devices to play these audio files.
- Mobile phone, streaming TV services, or tablet- installation and monthly service fees.
- Wall art, photos, easy to read wall clocks, quilts, bulletin boards and pleasing decorative items to hang on the wall. Avoid decorative items that need to sit on a tabletop. We suggest talking with the facility maintenance staff in advance to see if wall mounting of gifts can be scheduled. Also ask if items need to be treated with a flame-retardant spray.
- Memory book that chronicles the resident’s past interests and achievements
- Personalized calendars with photos of family and friends
To reduce loss and theft of a resident’s personal items, write a full inventory of all the items you give to the resident and provide a copy to be put into the resident’s inventory file. Use permanent ink to write resident names on clothing and other items in an area that does not show when worn or used. Residents should keep only small amounts of cash on their person. Cash gifts can be deposited to the resident’s “Patient Trust Account” which is like an individual savings account at the facility. Residents should have easy access to money placed in their account and receive quarterly statements describing account activity. Engrave expensive items with resident name or initials. Record and retain serial numbers for electronics. Provide a small storage container with the resident’s name on it to hold items when not in use. Report every loss and theft in writing to both the facility and the ombudsman.
