Nextdoor flash mob floods Olympia nursing home with Christmas gifts for residents and staff

A few days before Christmas Olympia resident David Moon was struck by these thoughts: “We drive by these buildings and note in the back of our minds – oh ... a nursing home, not really knowing what goes on behind those walls.”

The thoughts continued:  “Love goes on behind those walls.  Let's show them they are in and on our minds this Christmas.” With that, and a little help from Candice Mohar, a consultant affiliated with a local nursing home, Olympia Transitional Healthcare and Rehabilitation, he logged into the Nextdoor online community to see if any neighbors would take on the opportunity to adopt a resident there.

Within minutes people all over the area began to respond. By the end of the week dozens of people had signed up to give cash or to shop for gifts for each of the 70 residents.

First, “every resident was asked what they wanted for Christmas,” according to Vivian Currie, administrator of the facility, which is located across the street from Providence St. Peter Hospital in north Olympia.  Everyone received at least one present, some got all three of the things they asked for, she said.

Because the 95-bed facility was restricted by quarantine and Washington Safe Start Phase 3 limits, the community members weren’t allowed to deliver the gifts personally. This – and wrapping – was done by the staff, along with organizing Olympia Transitional facility’s Christmas party on Sat., Dec. 19, just 11 days after Moon put out the call.

The big day was creatively planned to enable each resident to participate, although most were restricted to their rooms due to the rules of the quarantine. Staff wearing both masks and face shields lined up in the hallway by every resident’s doorway and sang several Christmas songs. Santa traveled from room to room handing out gifts to each resident, followed by egg nog or hot chocolate (or both) and fresh, decorated sugar cookies. 

A bonus from the effort is that "some of the community members have offered to volunteer to come to the facility after the quarantine is over, often to just visit with residents here," Currie said. "There is a lot of loneliness among our elders. We’re all hardwired for connection and the more connection the better," she added.  

"We are grateful and looking forward to continued relationships with our community,” Currie said.

A bonus for the 111-person staff came in the form of a ton of groceries, also donated by community members.  Another: Olympia Transitional brought a taco truck to the facility last week, just for staff, “as a way of thanking them for their sacrifices during the pandemic,” Currie said.

Christmas for most of the staff is coming again on January 16. That’s the “clinic date” assigned for the facility to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Vivian Currie said, “We have our consent forms ready!”