"Free Store" in dementia unit at nursing home

Hi I'm Deb. Both of my parents had to move to a locked dementia unit at a nursing home this past year - it just became impossible to maintain their safety any longer, as anyone who has experience with alzheimers can understand. The move has worked out fine, not what anyone wanted, however they are well cared for and reasonably content. But it really disturbs me how most of the people living there have no control, no power, no choices, and very little to do each day. Mostly for good reason - if my parents, for example, were in charge of their lives they would be dead by now.

The reason I have set up this Gofundme - about a month ago, my mother got 'in trouble' for stealing out of the unit's supply closet. Not for the first time, lol. Now she has no concept of stealing, but she remembers shopping. Mom was a huge shopper previously. It gave her a lot of pleasure and purpose to purchase household and personal items, buy gifts, etc. She loved making choices at the store, finding good deals... She has lost all of that now, but remembers it and misses it. So when that lovely supply closet is left open for a minute, she is there shopping, choosing herself some soap, extra toothbrushes, panty liners. She calls the supply closet "that wonderful room."

So after she got into trouble again for raiding it, I thought "why not let her shop?" And why not give her (and everyone else on the unit) more power to make decisions for themselves, and also provide the opportunity for making choices that would add fun and pleasure to their lives while connecting them with past pleasurable activities?

So the nursing home has given me a storage room to use and I am beginning the process of filling it up - but could definitly use some help with the finances of stocking and restocking it. The nurses and aides are thrilled with the idea and will be helping the residents to regularly access the room and shop.

The items I am starting out with include:

• Ordinary bathroom supplies, the idea being that when certain interested residents run low on basic supplies they can go to the store and pick out what they need (rather than it just being it given to them).

• Nice Non-slip socks

• Socks (to be worn with shoes or slippers)

• Women’s shawls

• Throw blankets/cozy blankets

• Emery boards, quick dry nail polish

• Hairbrushes and combs

• Costume Jewelry

• Hair clips, variety

• Prepackaged snack items

• Slippers S, M, L – the kind that covers heal with non-slip bottom

• Small room decorations – pictures, figurines, etc, all non-breakable, no glass, not heavy.

• Small stuffed animals

• Activities – large print word search, adult coloring books, puzzles, etc

• Arts and crafts supplies

• Stationary/cards

• Stamps

• Large print books

• Easy to put on and take off clothing, washable

I also need to purchase shelves - only have one large one small so far and the initial items I have purchased are crammed in there so I need room to spread them out. Also a few garment racks to display the clothing.

Can't do much about the dementia or the limited lifestyle, however adding a little pleasure and control in a person's end of life is a worthwhile thing to do.

Here are the outcomes we are looking for with this 'freestore':

1. Increase the ability of residents to exert more control in their lives

2. Increase choices residents are able to make for themselves

3. Increase pleasure residents experience

4. Maintain resident participation in familiar activities (shopping)

5. Increase ability of residents to access small, preferred items