Giving Care: Senior & Disabled Caregiver Resource Blog

7 Items Nursing Home Residents Need

Nursing Home Packing List What Things to Take
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Helping your elderly loved ones move into a nursing home can be a very stressful experience. In almost all cases, they will need to seriously downsize their possessions, which can be a time-consuming and emotional process for everyone involved. At the same time, you also don’t want to donate or sell something that they end up needing later on.

To help you out, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of things to take to a nursing home or assisted living community, broken down into seven essential categories: clothing, personal care items, bed linens, electronics, hobby supplies, sentimental items and decorations. From choosing nursing home clothes to keeping electronics safe from potential theft, we’ll walk you through what you need to add to your nursing home packing list.

Clothing

How much clothing you need to pack for your loved one depends on how often their laundry will be done at the facility. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to pack at least a full week’s worth of outfits (so seven days). You should pack more if they are prone to incontinence or other accidents that require a partial or full change of clothes.

Depending on the climate where your loved one lives, you may need to pack clothing for different seasons. If their room is too small to store a full year’s worth of clothes, then you might need to rotate the garments seasonally to keep your loved one’s closet from becoming too stuffed. Keep in mind that as we age our bodies have trouble regulating body temperatures and we tend to run cold no matter the weather. In other words, they might not want to wear shorts even in the dead of summer, so pack accordingly and don’t skimp on coats, socks and other warm layers.

durable clothing washing machines
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Most nursing homes use large industrial washing machines to clean residents’ clothes. These machines can be very hard on clothing, so don’t send  any delicate garments or any clothing that requires special laundering. Nursing home staff don’t have time to hand wash delicates, so every piece of clothing — from women’s dresses to men’s elastic waist pants for seniors — should be durable and able to be washed in an industrial washing machine.

Accessories can help seniors feel more like themselves and express their personal style, so if they have favorite hats, scarves, purses, wallets or jewelry, feel free to send a few beloved items with them. Just make sure not to send them with any valuables that they would regret losing, as items frequently go missing in nursing homes. If your loved ones do want to take a purse or wallet with them, make sure that all money and cards have been removed, including both insurance and bank cards.

Here is a list of what clothing to add to your nursing home packing list:

  • At least 7 pairs of pants
  • At least 7 shirts
  • At least 3 sweaters
  • At least 3 dresses, if they wear dresses
  • At least 3 pairs of pajamas
  • At least 7 pairs of socks
  • At least 10 pairs of underwear
  • At least 2 bras, if they wear bras
  • 2 belts for the pants
  • 2 pairs of non-skid slippers for swollen feet
  • 2 pairs of non-skid shoes for outdoors
  • At least 1 housecoat for indoor wear
  • At least 1 seasonal coat for outdoor wear, more if they have room
  • Accessories as needed

Personal Care Items

Most older adults have certain toiletries or scents that they have used for years. Having these familiar products and fragrances with them can give them a sense of home even if someone else is helping them to bathe. Even if the facility does give you the option to purchase toiletries from them, the price is usually heavily marked up, so it’s often cheaper for families to provide these products on their own. You may want to keep a box of back-up products stocked in the closet or bathroom so that way your loved one is never in danger of running out of their personal items.

senior woman applying perfume
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These are some toiletries and personal care items that you bring to the nursing home:

  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Deodorant
  • Body wash
  • Body lotion
  • Hand cream
  • Lip balm
  • Skincare products for the face
  • Makeup, if they wear it
  • Light-up makeup mirror for their vanity
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Hair styling products
  • Hair brush and/or comb
  • Razor for shaving
  • Shaving cream or gel
  • Powder
  • Dentures and denture cream
  • Eyeglasses and case
  • Hearing aids
  • Over the counter medications
  • Prescription medications
  • Toiletry bag to hold everything

Shop Clothing for Seniors in Nursing Homes

Bed Linens

Nursing homes will provide bed linens, towels and so on as part of the contract. However, some seniors have a particular fabric or brand that they prefer that is not accommodated by the nursing home. Having familiar objects can also help your loved one be more comfortable and get better sleep. Be sure to check with the nursing home in advance to make sure that any bed linens you bring in from outside will still be laundered. Keep in mind that most nursing homes also have rules that prohibit electric blankets and mattress pads due to the fire hazard they present.

As with clothing, all linens will be washed in the facility’s large industrial washing machines. Thus, it’s best to leave items such as sentimental handmade quilts in storage. These items may be warm and comforting, but they won’t hold up to the frequent hard washing in those machines. Choose blankets, bed linens and towels that will be warm yet durable, or just use the ones that the facility provides.

Here are some bed linens that you might want to bring to the nursing home or long-term care facility:

  • Bed sheets sized to fit the bed
  • Pillows and pillowcases
  • Blanket or throw
  • Shawl or lap blanket
  • Bath and hand towels

nursing home packing list
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Electronics and Entertainment

Your loved one will have quite a bit of time to pass while in an assisted living facility, and coordinated activities can only take up so much of the day. Electronic entertainment such as TVs, computers and tablets can help keep them occupied and help them connect to the outside world.

Some facilities may already provide a small TV for your loved one. If not, then you will have to provide one for them. Make sure to ask what the facility policy is on extension and electrical cords, as these can pose a tripping hazard and this might not be allowed.

Wireless headphones are a good idea if your loved one has a roommate or tends to turn up the TV or radio volume quite loudly. These headphones will allow them to listen privately no matter where they are without disturbing others. Choose a model that will hold a charge for a long time so that they won’t run out of power as often.

All electronics should be clearly labeled with the resident’s name with a permanent pin or label. You might also want to consider attaching GPS tracking tags to expensive items so that you can find them in case they go missing. Make sure to keep a log of what devices they have at the facility and what serial numbers each device has in case something does happen.

laughing senior listening to headphones
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If your loved one wants to connect to the internet, check with the facility to see what the Wi-Fi password is and if there are any fees associated with using it. Talk to your loved one about internet safety and keeping their sensitive information safe from hackers and scams. You may wish to install parental controls on their devices so they cannot log into bank websites or do other activities that could pose a security risk, especially on an unsecure Wi-Fi network.

Electronics are a very personal choice and will depend on your loved one’s preferences. Here are some potential electronics that you might want to add to your list:

  • TV with DVD player or streaming capabilities
  • Remotes as needed
  • Radio
  • MP3 player
  • iPad or another tablet
  • E-reader such as a Kindle
  • Smartphone
  • Laptop or computer
  • Headphones
  • Chargers and extension cords for the various devices
  • Batteries and backup batteries as needed

Hobby Supplies

On a similar note to electronic entertainment, your loved one may appreciate having hobby supplies in their room so they can pass the time crafting or playing games. Provide a bin with handles that they can use to store and transport their crafting supplies easily. This also works well for card games and smaller board games. Large games will likely need to be stored on a bookshelf due to the size of the boxes. Large print books full of crossword and Sudoku puzzles will also fit easily into the storage tote.

loved one hobby supplies
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If your loved one is a reader, consider getting them set up with a library card on an e-reader device. This will allow them to check out books for free whenever they want without worrying about the books taking up too much space in their room. If they still enjoy reading print, consider getting them subscriptions to newspapers or magazines, which can be mailed right to the nursing home and recycled when they are done reading. If they are religious, make sure that they have their favorite religious text with them, as well as any other items they need to observe spiritual practices (i.e., rosary, shawl, crucifix, prayer mat, etc.).

Many older people also enjoy sending and receiving snail mail, so it’s a good idea to keep them stocked with paper, envelopes, stamps, pens and other stationery. Even if they’re not a big fan of old-fashioned mail, it’s still a good idea to keep them supplied with pen and paper so that they can make notes to themselves whenever necessary.

Browse Slippers for Swollen Feet

Sentimental Items

Another thing that can help your loved one feel more at home is sentimental items. These items don’t necessarily serve a functional purpose, but they can make an unfamiliar space more comfortable. Family photos a meaningful gift. Try affixing small labels to the back that note the people in the photo and the occasion at which it was taken. Posters and prints are another great option which can be hung on the wall, so they don’t take up precious table space. Discover other great gifts for elderly parents if you want to create a thoughtful care package.

When choosing sentimental items to take to a nursing home, make sure that they aren’t fragile, irreplaceable or large in size. Rare baseball cards, breakable china and a massive collection of stamps are all examples of personal belongings that should be securely stored rather than brought into a nursing home. Focus on smaller, non-breakable items that you can replace if necessary.

Decorations

Most nursing homes have pretty plain decor, and even if they decorate the main common areas, the staff usually leave residents’ rooms alone. Thus, it can cheer your loved one up to decorate for the seasons. In most cases, their room won’t be big enough to hold excess decorations that aren’t in use, so you will need to store off-season decor at your home or in a storage unit. At the very least, a door decoration will make it easier for your loved one to find their room and give them a spot of color to brighten their environment.

hands decorating christmas tree
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If you are already overwhelmed trying to get your loved one moved into assisted living, then leave the decorations until a later date. In fact, putting up decorations or putting together flower arrangements can be a great activity to do together during a visit, if your loved one feels up to it.

We hope this nursing home packing list gives you a good starting place as you prepare your elderly loved ones before their move. Remember to always assess the size of their space before finalizing your packing and to add or remove items as needed.

If you are looking for nursing home clothing for the elderly, then shop Silverts’ wide selection of adaptive clothing for women and men. This adaptive clothing is designed for both self and assisted dressing for people of all ages. Order more than $20 and your U.S. order ships free!

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