Gifts for People in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities

It can be especially tough to think of gifts for people in nursing homes, since their space is limited and much of their activity may be limited to the nursing home setting. A person who has moved to an assisted living facility often just downsized, so you want to get something that will really be used. Our expert team is here to help with ideas for gifts for people in nursing homes and assisted living!

As an added bonus, we have an exclusive coupon code for Silverts.com, which offers adaptive clothing, socks, shoes and many items specially designed for someone living in a nursing home:
Get My Senior Gifts Coupon

Here are our top 5 categories of gifts for people in nursing homes or assisted living:

1. The gift of time: one of the most appreciated gifts for people in nursing homes is the gift of your time and attention. Take time for special visits (ideal if you can make it a routine thing, as this can become something your loved one really looks forward to) or plan an outing. This holiday season, check with the person’s community church about special services or find a holiday concert or play.
2. Comforting items: soothing/favorite music, audiobooks, inspirational books, puzzle/activity books (coloring books made specifically for adults are an enjoyable stress reducer!), movies, favorite snacks/treats (check for diet restrictions and be aware that storage for food items may be limited in a nursing home), etc. Help make it convenient for your loved one to access comforting activities (i.e. give an iPod, pad or other device and load it with music, audiobooks or their favorite church’s podcast; buy a small TV with DVD player and a stack of favorite movies; install a mini-fridge by the bed so your loved one can have his/her favorite cold snack or drink). Just check with nursing home staff about space issues, any restrictions or recommendations. Check out Linda’s Holiday Gift Ideas for more comfort-related gifts.
3. Decorations for the room: you could simply buy inexpensive holiday decorations (dollar stores are great!) and surprise them by decorating their space, or you could buy 1-2 nice items (seasonal or not) to make their space special.
4. Homemade, personalized items: examples include homebaked goodies, art work from the grandkids, a scrapbook/collage or framed photo, or a handknit blanket or sweater (or buy one and get their name or initials embroidered on it).
5. Unique gifts designed for seniors or for specific needs, such as our gifts for people with Alzheimer’s. Other useful items might be adaptive clothing, shoes designed for specific conditions or health technologies.

Unfortunately, there are many seniors in our community (particularly in nursing homes) who don’t have anyone to buy them gifts or spend special time with them. For this reason, our team has participated in Elves for Elders for many years, assisting with various aspects such as organizing, serving as a gift drop-off site and promoting the project. If you’d like to help out buying gifts for people in nursing homes in Pinellas County, check out Elves for Elders to learn more.