The Brighton long-term care home recently received a delivery of knit items including shrugs – a short sweater with a circular hemline - to distribute to residents this Christmas season.

“We have an ongoing knitters group that meets once a month,” says Laura Hare, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Belleville, Hastings and Quinte.

“They bring ideas, wool and laughter all together.”

Earlier in the year, the volunteers touch base with area long-term care homes to determine if residents could benefit from receiving knitted items. “They’re a very generous group,” says Laura about the knitters, who are seniors themselves. Many of them learned how to knit years ago “on their mother’s knee,” she says.

Chris Charlebois, life enrichment co-ordinator at Maplewood says the home appreciates the donation. It will be another way of ensuring residents have gifts under the tree this Christmas.

Maplewood’s annual Christmas bazaar, held Nov. 18, raised $627 for the residents’ Christmas fund.

“It brings in extra entertainment,” says Chris.

The money raised also goes towards the purchase of culinary treats like shrimp rings and other delicacies not always on the menu at the long-term care home. An event put on by the Trenton and Brighton Legion branches brings Christmas cheer annually to residents. “They have a huge party,” says Chris. “They do it all for free.” Legion members entertain residents and provide food, spirits and presents for the seniors.

Chris will soon start shopping to fill the 49 residents’ stockings.

“I want to make sure it’s more personalized,” says Chris. “I’d like to bring someone who has known them for a long time to make sure we meet their personal tastes – something they would cherish a little more than a cream or a bubble bath.” For instance, Chris says she knows one resident enjoys word games while another is fond of stuffed animals.

She’s also planning to purchase group gifts that residents who don’t have a lot under the Christmas tree can open Dec. 25. Board games like chess, checkers and monopoly could provide an extra activity for residents and their visiting family members all year long, says Chris.