I am addressing this letter to all the caretakers and families in Canada who have family members residing in nursing homes. I want to know if the situations that we are encountering are widespread and if there is anything that we can do to change policies and procedures to help alleviate the problem.
My mother is 88 years old and has been in an Ottawa nursing home for the past 8 years. She has Parkinson’s, is in a wheelchair and cannot move. She is able to communicate and is aware of her surroundings (Parkinson’s only affects her movement, so she knows what is going on around her).
Since she has been in a nursing home her glasses have been lost 4 times and her dentures have been lost 3 times. Each time these items go missing we (the family) have to arrange for them to be replaced. This is not an easy task. It is very expensive as she does not have any insurance. Also, the hours we spend trying to deal with this situation could be precious time spent with our loved one instead.
In March of this year, when her teeth had been lost for the second time, we had to make arrangements for my poor Mom to get to 4 denturist appointments for fittings. This is not an easy thing as she is in a large wheelchair and she is not in the best of health. While waiting for her new teeth, my Mom was unable to chew and therefore had to be fed pureed food which is not appealing at the best of times, so she lost interest in food and consequently lost weight. She was also not able to communicate well without her teeth. Her health was compromised and her quality of life decreased enormously. Once she received her new teeth she began eating better and therefore her health improved.
Now we have just learned that her bottom teeth (less than 6 months old) have gone missing, again! The glasses that we purchased for her in December 2012 have also been lost and need to be replaced, again! Not one of the personal care staff are willing to take any responsibility for these losses, they all blame someone else. Needless to say we are outraged and are trying to figure out what is wrong with nursing home procedures regarding the loss of personal items.
When her teeth were lost again this past spring we contacted the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. They basically told us that it is up to each individual nursing home to set up policies and procedures regarding this issue. I spoke to an inspector who assured me that my Mom’s nursing home had policies in place to make sure that items would not be lost. We also spoke to the Director of Care for her nursing home who said she was aware of the situation and would make sure that these policies were followed. We even put up large colored signs in my Mom’s room indicating the special box where her glasses and teeth are to be kept to assist the personal support workers. Obviously this is not working and we need to find a better solution.
We want to know if there are other families out there who are experiencing the same problems. Eye glasses, false teeth and hearing aids are the most common personal care items that disappear. In our visits to the nursing home we often see residents without teeth or glasses, we presume the family members have simply given up since they are difficult and very expensive to replace. The loss of these items affects the quality of life for our family members in nursing homes and we feel that something needs to happen so that this situation can change.
If this problem has affected the care of your loved one in a nursing home we would like to hear from you. Do you see any solution or change that may help us in our effort to keep nursing home residents comfortable in their last years? With the population of Canada rapidly ageing, this could be happening to you or your loved one sooner than you think! Share your experiences and maybe together we can all come up with some solution to this ongoing problem.
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Oh yes, many times in the USA, among other things Nursing home emotional abuse, neglect. Mom fell out of bed twice in one month. Another Nursing home fractured hip, impacted 2 pounds feces, etc etc and I get yelled at for calling 911. You will not die of natural causes in a Nursing Home. I am a wreck
I am a resident in a nursing home in Toronto, Ontario (Elm Grove Living Centre). While I was sleeping, I was robbed of money, lotions, etc., etc. two weeks ago, also when I was asleep, my sunglasses were stolen. I reported the first theft and was told, by the social worker, that because I didn’t know which night the employee robbed me, Elm Grove couldn’t do anything about it.
I am now awaiting to see what action will be taken re my stolen sunglasses.
I came on to here looking to see if we are able to install camera in a long term care home
I have a sister in a private room wanting to be able to check in and see how the care is being given
Have not been able to find answers on the goverment site .
Thank you.
I know what this Alternative messed up, secret care model is called and I can share if you contact me. Your loved ones are NOT SAFE.
I would put a camera in her room and attach the other part to your phone if anything goes missing you will know who took it
I think because your mother is requiring so much care the nursing home staff it may be only one person who is somehow in contact with her do not want her there and are doing everything to make you move her to another institution.
Yes this is happening to my sister here in TX she has not only lost but never recovered her lower bottom dentures her clothes her glasses her wallet and ID and credit card
We are having the same problem in Kingston. They keep putting the wrong hearing aids in my father ears. Rude nurse says they were the rights ones. Serial number matches the other one in the other ear. Plus he is the only male on that floor that hearing aids. This is the 4th time. They are so worried about covid they screw this up. You are right they are not cheap to replace.
I took up my I Phone for my Mom’s use during her Nursing Home’s lockdown.
I left very specific details with the staff ,,They had to keep it locked up with the charger ,,when my Mom was done talking me…..I am her only child.
I took the phone up on April 6 /21 and by April 13 /21..
My Mom called me at 12:30 April 13/21 and by 3 pm the same day,,,the Home informs me ,,the phone is missing..
Of course ,,they checked my Mom’s room ,,twice…no phone..however charger is locked up.
The Director never calls me for a week even though she received an email from the Homes ,,social worker on April 13 late afternoon.
I finally I to call the Director myself,,,she firsts blames my Mom ,,,,and I said her room has been checked twice….no phone,,,so I’m telling you that it’s been stolen…with that ,,,she said she would into it and I’m still waiting..
I called Head Office last week and now again Wait…
DO NOT EVER LEAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE STOLEN FROM YOUR LOVED ONE….Lesson leaned …
As a nurse working on a rehab hospital I can tell you my experience. When patients eat they often remove their dentures and lay them on their food tray. Since they are unsightly, they wrap them in their napkin. The trays are picked up, go to the kitchen, garbage goes into the waste can and they are gone. We improved the problem by (the hospital) offering a reward to any kitchen staff who found teeth, glasses, or hearing aids on the tray. Might I also say linen napkins would make it difficult to hide these items. If the residence was willing to do this, I’m quite certain the losses would decreas. Also, be certain that her name is on each item. Glasses can go on a string around her neck. Keep a denture box handy. Also one for hearing aids if needed. Often these items end up in pillow cases, sheets, between mattress and springs, in drawers, shoes, purses, etc. It is so common, and so unfortunate.
I work in a nursing home. Honestly everyone’s things always go missing. Does this person have a mind of their own….if not, the person may hide his or her belongings including dentures! I see it a lot. Also another thing you have people who wander all day and don’t even know what they’re doing because of their dementia, I see wanders always grabbing things or entering other residents rooms.
Dementia is used as an excuse for staff to abuse the Elders in their care and impose a philosophy of living which is in my opinion abusive, and in which family members are not aware and blindsided!!! I’ve seen this withy own two eyes the answer, it is the philosophy of care implemented in the Care Home in which you are most likely NOT aware. This is an Alternative Philosophy implemented into certain LTC homes with active Registry Members whose goal is a culture shift, where staff are more important than the residents and if you don’t conform to this practice, you are not safe within the Residence. Their goal is to create a culture shift within the home. Part of that shift is using a Resident’s disability as an excuse to impose their goals on that resident, these goals are SECRET and only known within the members serving that community. Please contact me and I can fill you in further. I have seen and experienced this first hand.
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My best friend is 20+ years older, is a paraplegic and suffers from dementia, my best advice to give to others is a very sad one, just plan on everything you buy for your loved one Is and WILL BE STOLEN! I spend a minimum of $200.00 a month on things to make him happy, and the only thing that wasn’t stolen was the Grubhub food I send weekly that he eats. I just recently purchased a JESUS T-Shirt that he hid in his pillow case along with a couple of crossword puzzle books, because he was afraid that they would be stolen too and it would be safe there, but NO! Some how, while I was on the phone ( I say on 24/7 no kidding) and him asleep, the T-Shirt and the pillow case came up missing, but not his books. And NO, it wasn’t taken away to be washed! I am now placing theft tracking devices in the items I purchase so I can PRESS CHARGES on the individual(s) that steal his stuff, and I will! It it so very very sad that people like my friend are living out their last days to have stuff stolen from them, very very poor care, hence the reason why I stay on the phone 24/7 to make sure his teeth are brushed, he doesn’t sit in feces all day long ( which he has), they don’t yell at him for something he HAS NOT DONE, and he gets out of bed. Because, if you ask me THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THEM, feed them and leave them! I have kept a daily log since day one, and as soon as he can get approval for somewhere else, I have a book for the medical board for them to answer. The medical board is the only hope for future residents, so I strongly advise, that you keep a log, dates, times, and whom you spoken to, because once you write the medical board THEY HAVE TO RESPOND. I am lucky, that I am too disabled and can sit on the phone all day with him, but the place he is at now is a disgusting place, the only good thing so far is that they don’t hit or beat him! You will not believe what I hear and THEY KNOW I AM ON THE PHONE and KEEPING LOGS, I told them so screaming through the phone, hoping and praying his care changes, BUT NO, they just don’t cate! I waited a month to see if they have him brush his teeth or get out of bed, and for a whole month, you guessed it, his teeth were not brushed nor did he ever get out of bed, and I caught them lying again, saying he refused to get out of bed, not realizing at this time I am on 24/7 and record EVERYTHING. Another thing that is very sad, it cost his insurance 20 to 30 thousand a month, for him to sit in shit all day, only get his depends changed if he has a bowel movement instead of daily, never gets his teeth brushed, only benefit he gets is doctors come to see him and his meds are dispensed, ( which they have a habit of leaving them on a table not watching him take and almost double dosed him within an hour if I was NOT on the phone! If they would help with at home care it wouldn’t even cost half of that! May GOD bless me with a massive heart attack so I don’t have to suffer like my best friend!
My mothershearing aids disappeared off her side table 2 weeks ago where a night care person left them. They are to go into a lock box at night but that night they were late picking them up. They think someone came in and took them while my mom was asleep. So through no fault of my mom or us ,we are going to have to try and get her hearing tested again and replace the hearing aids at our expense. Besides the fact that my mom is 97 with severe dementia, she may not fit into certain covid criteria for Costco which will eliminate the possibility of new hearing aids. My mom has been there for 4 months, and after 30 some years of wearing them they are gone! I am completely disappointed in this home that I thought was so great!+
When I was discharged I didn’t get all of my clothes out of he nursing home. I need for someone to help me get the rest of my clothes out. They told. my daughter that she is not going to let her in the building. Who can help me
Put in a hidden camera(s)!
You can’t! It’s illegal!
I’m with you Sherry. Even her socks go missing, its usually her good stuff that goes missing. I can not do her laundry , so I am not sure what to do .. but was thinking of asking the laundry department if I could go in and get my mother’s laundry from her ” slot ” before it goes onto those rolling carts for redistribution.
I have my grandmother who went to nursing home. She lost her denture in the first week. It was a very bad situation as she cannot eat anything but liquid. I have to bring her to denist to get a replacment. It was very difficult for her. I wish the nurse will give us the tips first day what to watch out. I still dont understand who will take my grandma denture? I see the posting here and understand I am not alone.
After spending a significant amount of time working inside a LTC facility, while not actually working for the facility itself, I witnessed multiple staff take personal items from one resident’s room and give them to another resident. No consent was ever sought, and there were times when it caused quite a bit of tension amongst residents. The staff would sometimes threaten residents whom they felt were uncooperative, by telling them they would not receive their next meal.
I reported what I witnessed to the management of the facility, as well as the government authorities. The facility was told to change their ways. Unfortunately, over the continuing months, nothing changed. They shuffled staff around to different wards and that was it.
Another disturbing thing I’ve seen, that I’m sure-judging by the rest of these comments-is fairly common, is theft of resident’s belongings by staff. I once had an ex-family-member-in-law whom had a decade-long career as a care aide. She would take home “gifts” of expensive lotions, shampoos, clothing items, and so on. It’s against the law to do it. When I confronted her about that fact, she claimed the resident didn’t need it, that they were deceased, or she had a special bond with them that made it acceptable to her.
Most staff in the facilities seem top notch. Disappointingly, there are too many issues of the vulnerable people living within the facilities being taken advantage of. The residents need more advocacy, so that the facility owners (especially private-run), management, and staff are held to account.
This is very disturbing to see how our loved ones are being cared for.
placing a video cam in the room will help us to understand what is really taking place there and help us protect our loved ones. The video cam will also be valuable when class action law suits are filed against these homes and the Government of Canada, which owns many of these homes.
I am going through the exact same with my grandmother and in light of COVID, getting a dentist to come out and replace her dentures has been impossible. The nursing home is constantly giving us the run around and we have given up. I am now lost on what further I can do to help, she has lot SO much weight it makes me sad.
I totally understand where you are coming from. I too have a loved one in a nursing home. This will continue to go on as long as we have irresponsible, careless and horrible people around our family and friends. The best thing that could happen to our loved ones is to have them live with family and to keep ourselves and our family healthy and happy so that this hopefully does not repeat itself in the future.
My mom is in a nursing home and her clothing comes up missing all the time the staff puts on other people’s clothing on her. I have 12 new outfits that I have bought her and only one is still left. I have asked what has happen to her clothing and blankets and they told me that they are in the laundry Mom had been in the nursing home for about 1 year now
My mom is in a nursing home and her clothing comes up missing all the time the staff puts on other people’s clothing on her. I have 12 new outfits that I have bought her and only one is still left. I have asked what has happen to her clothing and blankets and they told me that they are in the laundry Mom had been in the nursing home for about 1 year now
i have a brother who is in retirement residence with pd has difficulty communicating.The rca remote disappeard from his room and was replaced with a samsung one. He was having nothing but problems since it happened .programing had changed and had to manually control volume.l feel his frustration cause this is the only type of intertainment he has.
Its amazing to know the issues that you are having that I am not alone. My Father is turning 96 on Feb 1st and I have had to pay $3,900 to have a denturist into the retirement home for new impressions once in 2018 and again last year for lost bottom dentures.
When I addressed with the home they said that my dad lost them! Amazing how always blame to the resident/family. I pay for enhanced care and the rent, care and meals went up again this year, but there is no meals in the dining room and the care is less.
I keep track of my Dad’s clothes and bibs (apparently they only do his laundry alone) but still they lose clothes…cannot blame this on my dad. They misplaced over 10 bibs (over $100 value) and I told them to find them or replace them. I am getting fed up with their lack of leadership, management and care. This is a home in Bells Corners. I was even told if I am not happy there is a wait list of people to come in!!!
My father who is 97, locked down in his nursing home room due to COVID, just had his $7000 hearing aids go missing! We are pushing the staff to search the laundry, the garbage, everywhere. How, when he hasn’t left his room in 8 days would they disappear? Very upset. We are wondering if there is a market out there to sell used hearing aids–just like the market on the street for medications that are often stolen from nursing homes? Maybe there is a market for false teeth as well.
My father who is 97, locked down in his nursing home room due to COVID, just had his $7000 hearing aids go missing! We are pushing the staff to search the laundry, the garbage, everywhere. How, when he hasn’t left his room in 8 days would they disappear? Very upset. We are wondering if there is a market out there to sell used hearing aids–just like the market on the street for medications that are often stolen from nursing homes? Maybe there is a market for false teeth as well.
I just entered the debate. I could go on an on about a lot…CNA’s and Mgmt are all sickening. My father is in an assisted living facility in which he hates as well as many of my family. The reason he’s in there is due to Parkinson’s Disease…he is in a wheelchair, he can’t walk at all and needs help with everything. He has worked hard his entire life (both mom & dad) being self employed by owning a grocery store and later a Liquor business. All his retirement is going in this over priced facility. I’m angry beyond words. They aren’t nice to my dad because his mind is fine and he will tell them. So will I when they have talked down to me. I can’t stand this nightmare place or any other facilities like this. Clothes and everything else have come up missing. This is too much…I’m overly fed up and thought to contact Ombudsman but also thought is this going for Medicare members. My father isn’t getting Medicare and that facility is causing him to be broke. Must leave the conversation now…I’m extremely angry!!!
I just entered the debate. I could go on an on about a lot…CNA’s and Mgmt are all sickening. My father is in an assisted living facility in which he hates as well as many of my family. The reason he’s in there is due to Parkinson’s Disease…he is in a wheelchair, he can’t walk at all and needs help with everything. He has worked hard his entire life (both mom & dad) being self employed by owning a grocery store and later a Liquor business. All his retirement is going in this over priced facility. I’m angry beyond words. They aren’t nice to my dad because his mind is fine and he will tell them. So will I when they have talked down to me. I can’t stand this nightmare place or any other facilities like this. Clothes and everything else have come up missing. This is too much…I’m overly fed up and thought to contact Ombudsman but also thought is this going for Medicare members. My father isn’t getting Medicare and that facility is causing him to be broke. Must leave the conversation now…I’m extremely angry!!!
My mother has lost her hearing aids, and as of this morning her dentures. Is the attorney general worth complaining to? The staff is not very helpful and not taking blame.
My mother has lost her hearing aids, and as of this morning her dentures. Is the attorney general worth complaining to? The staff is not very helpful and not taking blame.
I agree with you
I agree with you
This happened to my grandma several times. I was able to put a remote camera in her room. One of the staff was taking her glasses, because of the proof, she was fired.
I thought the Lady who had her Brothers phone connected to her phone 24/7 was brilliant!! She could hear EVERY thing that went on in his room !! ( I believe she was disabled as well, so was easy for her to “listen in” as much as she wanted
I experience the same, in Virginia, USA, & ultimately unless u have tons of $ to litigate w practically no chance of success, this is just part of the dark side of ‘medical care’
It’s nothing new trust me to have clothing teeth eyewear etc disappear even with Camaras they turn a blind eye nothing seldom gets done in nursing homes why people dont care unless its effects them or heaven forbid their family was in a facility getting stuff stolen they think the law can’t come in the nursing homes or they get caught stealing won’t happen I agree we all need to put a stop to it my friend is in one food comes up missing change clothes shampoo etc they dont do a thing about it what’s next I think nursing homes needs security guards who have the power to arrest the thief turn them over to the cops that would detour others who are thinking of stealing
What I like is I buy her meds through Express scripts and then you take them in , you have paid for them and som I get a 3 months supply fo 5 dollars as I worked for Auto Industry then I get billed 80 dollars a month for them ,,, She is now missing all of her Bras , Yesterday I went in to set outside and where is her new cell phone , Missing and she has Parkinson’s and does no complain but she was just way to Quiet
I agree with you
My dad 88 yrs old recently became a resident at Westview of Derby a nursing home in Derby KS. Barely two weeks later his hearing aids were lost; and two weeks after that his prescription eye glasses were lost. The staff at the nursing home says they don’t know what happened to his personal items and let it go. Meanwhile my dad cannot see or hear you if you visit him (we are doing outside visits here in US due to COVID-19). My mom has reordered new eye glasses for dad and they ought to arrive soon. Dads hearing aids are $3500 very costly to replace. What are we supposed to do? How do we get the nursing home to be responsible?
Help!!!
Nursing home staff have confirmed to me that the primary cause of eyeglasses and dentures is food tray pickup. It is considered a common issue and responsibility is placed on the patient, not the facility. If glasses or dentures are placed on a food tray by the patient, the personal items will go in the trash after the tray pickup. Employees or contractors do not attempt to visually scan the tray for personal items. In my personal opinion this is very poor practice and needs to be changed across the industry. Elderly patients entering a nursing home or rehab facility after a hospital stay may not be capable of keeping a “do not place in tray ” rule in mind due to cognition concerns usually due to medications or natural age related cognition decline. Dentures gone missing can be a high impact to a patient. If no replacement dentures are immediately available, a patient’s health may decline because pureed food can be very unappealing.
I am reading your post, my mom is in assisted living care home in Alberta. She has been there approximately 6 months. Shortly after she moved in coronovirus forced the facility to close so no family members could go in. We were told by mom she couldnt find her 2nd pair of running shoes. We asked staff to look and verify they were not located. The administrator/patient care person reported they looked but were unable to find. Since then my sister have been able to go in and we looked as well. We could not find them either. She is also missing other items such as clothing which the facility does the laundry but we also paid $68 to get all her clothing tagged with her name on it.
Yes, I am experiencing missing clothes, dentures, and toiletries. I know theft exists. I want to know who is responsible for replacing them.
I have power of attorney for an 83 year old Friend. She was transferred to a nursing home for rehab.after a hospitalization. At time of discharge from the rehab., the rehab. Informed name they never had her dentures. Her assisted living facility told me they definitely sent them to her rehab. . She had been changed from 3 beds in rehab. The rehab.found her dentures in the dresser of one of the rooms she had been. She has a second hospitalization in a couple of weeks after a fall sustaining fractures at her assisted living facility. She went to a different facility for rehab. When a worker put her on FaceTime with me, I noticed she did not have her teeth in. The worker said she would check with the kitchen to see if they found them on her tray. That was a week ago. Today the Worker put her on Facebook again and told me she looked everywhere and cannot find them. She thinks they may have been thrown out from her meal tray. She is disabled physically and has some dementia. Her income is very low. I wonder if the facility where they were lost or if the patient is responsible for the cost of replacing the dentures? Can anyone help me with the legal answer? I live in Florida, where this has taken place. Thank You. Irene
You are not alone.My mother was in an Alzheimer’s facility and her hearing aid was crushed twice as if a bull dozer ran over it and another time a man ate half of it. We made the facility accountable and they had to pay. Her clothes were all over the building. I marked them on the front and they still were an issue. One day I saw her roommate wearing my mother’s bottom pajamas. She had someone’s lower teeth shoved in her mouth and the uppers were missing. The Assistant Administrator tried to tell me she saw my mother putting the lower teeth in her mouth. Mom couldn’t have because she didn’t have the manual dexterity to do that and they were made for a smaller mouth. I thought where did those come from.? Unless you are there 24 hours to supervise anything can happen. Her glasses were broken. I finally would visit for hours and bring the hearing aid home and bring it back everyday. We took her out of there because there was a list of things that were bad and put her in a ACF which was a home setting thinking it would be better. Not so. Here her favorite blanket disappeared as well as her throw. I got tired of asking for there whereabouts and one day asked another worker if we could check the downstairs laundry. They weren’t there . I believe the head of the home hid her blanket and throw. I kept asking and she would say must be in the laundry. This place was beyond bad. A worker hid my car key here and I had to call a locksmith to break open the door in order to get my house key and go home to get another car key. Also a pair of brand new pajamas went missing. Oh yeah her glasses were broken four times and the place where I went for repairs said not to come back.They couldn’t do more repairs. This place was a horrible horrible mess . That’s just a few things that happened . My family said you just can’t put your loved ones in these places. If possible you have to keep
loved one’s home with hired help. If we had it to do over we would have tried. There will always be problems in Nursing Homes or other facilities. In the Nursing Homes there are too many people and not enough workers. One thing I did with the first place was to call the Ombudsman and got the State Department of Health involved. Nursing Homes don’t want that on their records They get citations and pay fines.
Westview of Derby provides horrible care where my dad is. He is crying frequently and crying at our family visits. I read frequently crying is a sign of abuse going on at the nursing home by staff or other residents towards my dad. Have you heard that? I told my mother who has POA we need to contact the Ombudsman and get the state dept of health involved about dads hearing aids and prescription glasses but she’s not doing anything. Mom did reorder dads glasses but refuses to get more hearing aids for him. I’m his older daughter but without POA I have no rights is that correct? Mom took care of dad for 15 months and had him put in this nursing care home before she had her hip surgery. She told me she cannot take care of dad any longer. I suggested we hire a nurse to help and mom said No your father will stay where he’s at. It’s sad to me. What a horrible way for dad to live in this god forsaken nursing home. My mom is a manic depressive and I believe that’s the reason she cannot see to dad. Mom is having her own mental health challenges. My dad had a happy go lucky disposition before mom put him in this nursing home. I don’t recognize him now when I see him on a visit.
I do have same issue… and more. CAO at Kirkland Lake Extendicare claims the facility has no responsibility in regards to damaged or lost items. Alternatively, I was going to limit the eyeglasses and denture as a solution. The CAO retaliated and claim that I am denying Health Care…
Just pushing the buck. I am happy to hear more complaints are rising from these facilities in poor administration. I am hoping the politicians may hold these facilities responsible. I believe the facilities should be accountable for the residence including their belongings as the residence bill of rights states its their homes.
theft and damage to what i believe is my personal and the home i feel does not provide proper safety to such
Checklist for staff in am & pm that is signed ie glasses, denture and hearing aids all check and accounted for and all items needed should be included in the patient chart. And labels labels ie name of patient.
I live in a group home (Shiloh Manor) in Oklahoma. The administrator of this home opens residents mail! Also she will take their personal property as a punishment. I know this is hard to believe but it is true. I have talked with my he ombudsman but didn’t get very good results. A huge problem is it’s our word against theirs.
MY 91 year old mum is in Low care in a aged care facility in Australia. We paid $2000 to replace her missing dentures 12 months ago. They have now gone missing again. She puts them in a pink denture pot every night. On Friday morning they were not there. What makes it worse is that the dentist says her impressions are in storage and it’s too much bother for him to find them so we cannot use them and have to pay another $2000. Last year her diamond engagemant ring that she had had on her finger for 70 years was stolen. Even her pyjamas ( named) were stolen and the carers gave her a tatty nightie from a dead person. She has also had nearly $200 in cash stolen. The facility is run by a non for profit church (HAHA) they have no accountability.
My mom has dementia and recently during the Covid 19 crisis the hospital lost her very expensive hearing aids. I had the same experience when my dad was in the hospital and they lost a very expensive pair of prescription glasses. He also had dementia. What I learned to do was make sure the nurse documented a complete and accurate belonging list in the medical record. I would also request a copy of the list. This time when my mom was in the hospital during covid I was not allowed in. I had to verify over the phone with the nurses her belongings list and had to really be assertive to make sure this was done. Thankfully the hospital did take responsibility and her hearing aids were replaced. The cost $4,700! She just does not have that kind of money nor do we. Hearing aids are considered a medical device. Research shows people with dementia lose memory more quickly if the hearing is impaired. Also in terms of dentures and glasses this can truly affect the safety and health of the patient especially with nutrition being negatively impacted. In terms of dignity and quality of life why should these folks be considered any less in terms of the importance of their expensive personal and medical belongings? I also can’t believe the administrator’s response. My mother pays over $400 a day to be taken care of in a nursing home. The owners of this business should be made to take responsibility for loss of such important and expensive items. I would suggest at the very least being proactive in making sure the nursing home completes an accurate personal belonging list for your loved one and that the list is signed by the responsible staff and dated. The guardian or power of attorney should also sign and keep a copy in a safe place. Expensive belongings like prescription glasses/hearing aids/dentures should be look at periodically by the family to assess the condition. Amendments should be made to a belongings list when additional items are left in the care of the nursing home. In other words, this is the right way to involve family members in a patient’s expensive and important belongings and maintenance of such. Skilled Nursing Facilities need to be made accountable and maybe then this attitude of carelessness will improve.
Most of my clothes are missing what can I do about it printed my name in everything please can help me
You are not alone and the reason I found your post is that we are having the same type of problem with my 88 year old Father in-law.
Glasses lost, we went to dollar tree to by him 5 and hid the rest.
His teeth have not gone missing YET.
I am trying to discover a solution for his missing clothes.
He is in Ohio and my husband and I spent 4 months getting him set up in a nursing home.
We bought him 7 comfy pants, shirts and socks and white t shirts.
I tagged everyone of them
With a washable sticker and we go back and he is in a red t shirt with a beer advertisement.
So, funny not funny, he is a Babtist and never had a drop of alcohol in his life and he di not realize he was advertising something that he rejected as a young man.
I am looking forward to reading on to some solutions
Yes i have an issue with things getting stolen at care facilities. My fiance is in a skilled nursing facility rehabilitation center in manteca, ca. since she has been there ( may 2nd), she has lost a coffee mug i brought from home to make her stay less institutionaly. but what really burned me up a couple of days ago is that she informed me that her money, ($70), her food stamp card and her SSI debit card were taken out of the room while she was sleeping. She told me that she went outside to get some fresh air at around 5am and when she went back in she put the plastic bag she used to carry those items in, in the top drawer of a dresser next to her bed and went back to sleep. when she got up around 6:30 or so the bag was gone. Her reason for the bag is she suffers from Agoraphobia and she is ther because she had her left leg amputated below the knee. The money was part of her back pay and everything she had. We brought it up with the social service lady and it was pretty much a brush off…( oh we won’t know who did it because we dont have cameras and we don’t encourage patients to have that stuff around.”). And when she started to ask the housekeeper if she’d seen it , she just said a quick “NO” and rushed back into the room she was cleaning. I think it’s BS and something needs to be done about stuff like this. Also there are a couple of guys that have had money turn up missing since they have been there, so it’s been an ongoing thing for awhile. I’m seriously thinking of setting the person up with a descretly marked $5-$10.
My 92 year-old mother with dementia is in a long-term care home in Brampton Ontario. She has had many items of clothing go missing. The home won’t take responsibility because they say patients wander into other rooms and have a tendency to take things. I thought they were supposed to monitor wandering in to other patients rooms. What is worse is she is in a wheelchair with no Mobility and has had at least 4 falls in the last 2 years. However the icing on the cake happened yesterday when they called me to let me know another Resident had hit my mother across the face! They caused a scratch across her face which I am on my way now to go and check on. They won’t tell me who the resident that hit her is butt my husband and I have a very strong suspicion of one woman that is very mobile and screams at other residents who can’t even speak. She is very aggressive. When I spoke to the nurse about this incident she said well it is a dementia unit so we can’t predict everybody’s Behavior ( they are supposed to be watching). I find this to be a ridiculous excused and a refusal to take responsibility for anything. All they would keep telling me is we’re just calling to let you know that she’s okay oh, we will keep an eye on her injury. These people are all kept in a big Lounge area where they are supposed to be observed by psws. There are only a few residents that are mobile. By the way I have personally stopped the other patient from swearing in patience faces and using every type of obscene swear word you can imagine.
I’m sorry but when I’m paying a home every month to take care of my vulnerable mother because my health did not allow me to continue doing this myself, I expected them to keep her safe especially from other patients abuse. I could go on and on as I am quite Disturbed over this right now. But you get the idea…
I have read through all of the comments and fear for all of us who are living longer and likely will be in one of these facilities.
All politicians should have to do a 6 month residency in a LTC facility before they can run for office. Plain and simple.
We need to live by the Golden Rule, treat others as we want to be treated. Whatever happened to that?
I am blessed that my uncle, whom I am a caregiver for, resides in a facility where his belongings don’t disappear. Like all LTC facilities, it is understaffed, his new roommate has huge needs that will affect my uncle’s privacy and we’ll-being, the rooms are cramped and most of the staff are just there for the paycheque.
I have overheard one staff member say to my uncle, “This is your home, we are here to keep you comfortable.” Lovely words when she knew I was listening.
Nothing, to my knowledge, has gone missing (yet). I got a phone call immediately after he rode his wheelchair over a hearing aid.
As I am writing this, I am tearing up because I have nothing to really complain about compared to all of you family members who are dealing with, not only watching your loved ones diminish in health, but having to deal with necessities of life going missing. Where has our humanity and compassion gone?
I can see how easy it would be for items to disappear when a resident has left his/her room. The door is left wide open. So very disturbing.
Make all complaints in writing. It’s a lot of extra work on our part but Administrators don’t like that paper trail. Insist on a reply in writing. Ask questions that put the onus back on their lap. Make them own it. Make them accountable. Follow the complaint and don’t let it go until it has been resolved. LTC facilities are run by the government, meaning tax payers. MPP’s need to know we aren’t happy with what is going on and the current condition of LTC facilities. We have to stand united to change this system. The squeaky wheel gets greased.
My mother is also in a nursing facility in Pennsylvania, her cell phone has been missing several times, clothing being taken and I do her laundry so they should not be leaving the room. I have spoken to Administrators and other staff they all say that as long as the items are on the inventory list they will replace it, thus far everything has been on the list and they give lame excuses why they are not going to pay to replace the items.
Loss of personal items such as dentures, hearing aides, glasses, clothing, room contents, etc. is ongoing in nursing homes and no accountability for the costs of such losses. Trackers can be utilized to solve some of these issues but staff to resident ratios are the real issue here. Government caregiver ratios are very inefficient & supervision is nonexistent. Radio frequency tracker chips can be embedded inside the denture to track location to prevent loss each day before bed linens & clothes are sent for cleaning & garbage is removed. I would like to see this problem solved with such a device but have not been able to access any products readily available on the market as of yet.
My moms cousin is in one of these homes and her items and clothes keep getting taken and no one will do anything about it. I’m so frustrated and angry and I want to be able to help her, how is it that these places can’t at least assure that our elderly are not only safe but also that they get to keep what little items they have left? I’m currently trying to figure out who I can call about it. Doesn’t seem like anyone really cares but me and my mom.
I see a lot of complaining with zero solutions.
Apparently complaining to administration or directors is hopeless.
My grandma and my dad are in adult homes too. They keep losing their clothing and mom has found them ON OTHER PEOPLE!
So far she’s going to go to the administrator however the next step will be to report the facility to the news!
Lets see if they’ll like all the negative publicity on TV!
Once again my father’s hearing aid has been found broken. Apparently this time it was in the laundry even though we have had numerous discussions with staff about taking it from him at night for safe-keeping. Over the past 3 years he has had 3 new hearing aids, (at a cost of $3000.00 each) and they have been missing on numerous occasions. I am so frustrated because there is no accountability and everyone passes the buck onto the next person. My dad needs this device to hear, yet how many more times can we keep doing this. He is on a fixed income and we just can’t get through to the staff that these devices need to be looked after. Short of pulling my hair out, I am totally burnt out by all of this.
but they break in anyway after I go to sleep would
like for the fbi to check them out what or where can I go to get help have put in for a restraining
My mother was not even in the nursing home 6 week’s and they lost her dentures and glasses. The woman in the nursing home hand us someone else glasses. That why I don’t like nursing home.They don’t have enough staff to look out for the people
Like a hotel, the room rate is based on a pro-rated formula. When the remote goes missing from my dad’s room, I deduct $2 per day. He is in a wheelchair, too, and without the remote, it affects his quality of life. When the transport was 45 minutes late to pick him up from his doctor’s appointment, I asked how he would be compensated for his wasted time (mine doesn’t count). They didn’t charge him for his returned trip and were on time after that. I don’t get upset or emotional; I am all business. We’ve split costs on hearing aids, been reimbursed for bleached black pants, and several other items. I know the law and what a contract for services is. It’s my new job being my parent’s advocate. I let go of a lot of things, but when I see a pattern (the remote, laundry) I bring it to the administrator’s attention in a business-like manner. I did lose it when someone stole his cell phone charger, but I’m human. To all of you being your parent’s advocate, hang in there and you’re in my thoughts and prayers. To administrators and healthcare staff, thanks for being there. You are appreciated.
Hello i just visited a family friend in a Niagara Falls nursing home she has lost her dentures 2 months ago. Maybe if Nursing homes are more accountable for these life altering losses they would happen less frequently. I am goung to speak to our local MP to see what can be done. I dont think waste baskets should be in their washrooms especially if they share a room. Who knows the roommate may not know what they are doing and throw things out.
I feel your pain :( my 93 year old mother has been in a nursing home for 2 years. She is now on the dementia ward and for some unknown reason it is not the responsibility of the care given to make sure that her hearing aids are safely put away for the next day. In the past 10 months 3 hearing aids have gone missing. Our family is at the point of only the family knowing where the most recent hearing aid is located so at least we can place it in her ear when we visit. We didn’t purchase 2, she is only using one due to the cost of these items. I asked the home to make a note in her file concerning her hearing aids and the RN told me that this would be addressed. They are on dementia ward and there pockets are not even being checked before laundry is being done, I’ve mentioned this before but there is always a reason, ie I didn’t do her personal care or the hearing aids could have been in the bed sheets…..exactly….check the laundry, this is very expensive for patients on a fixed income. Very upsetting :( They should be responsible for dentures and hearing aids .
Hi Lynn – My dad’s hearing aids are locked in the meds cart when he is not wearing them. He also has little clips that attach to the hearing aids and are fastened behind his neck to his shirt collar. This has helped considerably, except for one time when a staff member tossed the shirt hearing aids attached into the laundry.
I am dealing with a similar issue Debbie Conway….when one goes into LTC they have very little they can take with them. There’s no locked safe for jewellery, teeth, hearing aids, etc…and it is totally unfair that the patients cannot have some personal belongings with them without fear of them being lost or stolen. There should be cameras placed in all rooms as I suspect some of the thefts are not from other patients….surely when the sheets are taken off a bed the person can check for teeth, hearing aids, etc. before they remove the sheet from the room – our LTC homes are a mess as is our health care plan here in Ontario….You have my sympathy, however, until there’s a watchdog for the people who own these homes for profit…I don’t see anything changing..now, the food issue is another matter – yikes!
Have the doctor write an order for the Nurse to assist resident/patient with dentures, hearing aides, &/or eyeglasses in A.M. & remove at night. Each item to be secured in nursing cart with their medications. This will ensure that there is a level of accountability & tracking of these expensive items. If this is written as an order, the nurse will have to follow & your loved one will function to the best of their ability!
My mother is in a nursing home in Barrie Ontario and her hearing aid went missing and no one knows where it is. It’s been gone for a few months now and we have been told we are responsible. It’s 1500 dollars for one ☝️. Should have been better taken care of.
We are going through the same thing at the moment with my mum here in the U.K. she’s in a “beautiful caring nursing home” on paper, in reality I feel thenstaff are over worked and under paid and so my mum along with all the others are having things happen that are clearly unavoidable; like lost property.
The only difference is that they openly admit they send lost clothes to the charity shop without a second thought to ask family member is their parent has lost anything.
I find the whole system here a diobolocal wash out.
The nursing home steals everything it’s because the staff is underpaid I’m going through the same stuff I’m missing a pulse monitor right now
My name is Brian I’m paralyzed in a wheelchair not able to even stand up from a car accident okay I’ve been in a nursing home for the past 3 years and had many items stolen not misplaced actually taking from my room and they’re saying that I’m not allowed to surveillance my room but they’re not reliable for anything stolen damaged misplaced how can that be I have no income I’m 48 years old no family they all live in other states so if they’re not reliable and I’m not allowed to surveillance my property who wins not me I’m out of things that I can’t afford to replace so if I leave a dollar on the sink knowing that the aid is going to take it and I asked the nurse to pay attention that it will be gone before next Med pass and it was and I went to a supervisor even and nothing gets done then what do I do just chalk my dollar as a loss another example I was getting into the elevator and it slammed into my wheelchair breaking a $4,000 piece off of it that insurance didn’t pay for because my arms worked that I paid for out-of-pocket and my family so who’s reliable for that the person that owns the building because I know the nursing home doesn’t own the is it the people that put in the elevator that service it because they had to come that night and turn it down and it was all documented so how is that my fault and if the nursing home it’s not reliable for anything stolen damage misplaced or lost but they replace another person’s brawls that were messing and while the floor was getting waxed one of her personal items gets broken and they replace it how is that not fair to replace mine or fix my chair is it that I’m young and have a voice box open say when people are being mistreated and not cleaned up and taken care of properly that they hold that back against on me this is just a few things that has happened to me if somebody could give me some feedback on what to do or some legal matter or would like to help me with my problems I would love to hear them or talk to them in person please text me back come visit me I’m in a different facility now and still having the same problems please please help don’t know what to do not very smart not very educated and very much handicap
My mother in law was 89 years old and just passed away on September 23, 2018. She has told us about things of hers missing on and off the entire 9 months she was there. After she passed away at around 8:30pm on the 23rd, we came to get her personal items the next day by 10am the next day. We found a coat missing and sn expensive blouse. Her purse and some jewelry. I think it’s sad that the staff can’t respect her privacy. They admitted going thru her drawers. I feel this was wrong but I don’t know what can be done about out. It is our word against hers!
The people who work there its only for money and wat they can steal. my oldest daughter works with older people these people love her they call her mother. now she works because she loves her job. a lot just do it for the money those are the ones who steal!! you people who work just for money yous sould what my daughter that’s how u treat people she’s a med tech don’t get top pay but she saids I love my pations like they love me! Yous should learn how to help old people! but carma will come around then wonder wat did I do I was very nice if u get bad carma is couse god knows u didn’t do it w love but money stealing and hurtuing these poor peeps,.
A very late comment to this thread I know but this problem is still ongoing in care homes, residential homes and nursing homes, I currently work in a residential home and we have this problem occuring frequently but not just with resident’s items but also ours from time to time, I agree with a bit of what the administrator says of course we cannot provide 1 to 1 care for all 24 hours of the day, in these times we aren’t is when things can go missing, the way this happens can be paper hankies, residents have been known to wrap teeth/hearing aids in hankies and unknown to carers and as they clean up they throw away this hankie with no idea. Another reason can be other residents more commonly in nursing homes many residents with dementia become oblivious to many social norms and most of the time do not understand possession of an item and sometimes believe the item is there own, it can only take a resident with dementia to pick up an item and it is almost impossible to be seen again, many residents I know have been flushing away things such as teeth, pads and clothes down the toilet. Hope this helps.
Is there a garbage can that sits next to the bed table, next to a chair, or by a table that she sits next to while she is in her wheelchair. Glasses that are taken off by residents and sat on a table can be accidently knocked off and into that garbage can they go, dentures too. Then along comes housekeeping and changes the bag. This happens alot.
hello everyone, i have been in healthcare 27 years in several different facilities. it is so common for items to become missing no matter the different types of facilities given. environmental services is as close as we can be without direct care. i see first hand items come missing daily no matter how hard we try to keep this from happening to your loved ones it does happen. know one wants to own up to how or where when this happens because most of the time we don’t know. take for example 100 residents clothing items come missing from one or two persons daily and in most cases they are found but unable to id whom they belong to. one person retrieves these thinking they belong to someone but end up in the wrong place or with the wrong person then that persons name ends upon it. this is so hard to id unless the facility provides a direct care person to each individual. worked in one facility where they kept the same care givers in the same assignment, same housekeepers and housekeepers were responsible for personal laundry they were aware of most patients more than direct care, for 1.5 years in a 245 bed facility did we have one lost item that was reported missing 6 weeks after it was found this was upon discharge, most facilities provide a policy to this happening but it is hard to be responsible for all lost items and in a lot of cases storage for lost items of clothing. i have seen monies, watches, rings hearing aids and even glasses in the drains of washers or even in driers. i have went dumpster diving for dentures and hearing aids some successful some not and most times these items are found bound by paper towels or tissue and in some cases in dietary in cups so having a loved one experience this also indicates that life does happen things do become lost and in some cases items become donated to someone else. being thankful for those last few moments with the ones you love not only family but the patients we care for is worth any material item that may become lost. if i could i would replace everything that everyone lost but we cant but we can care.
Why????? Are we blaming the staff working in care homes if you so concerned things getting lost in care home why can’t you spend time with your mum or bad and care of his or things, instead of making stupid complaints about missing things, don’t care for your loved ones, but things getting lost (WOW)
You must be a working in facility to reply in the way you did. I hope you don’t ever have to be in a facility when your elderly.
why am i complaning about my fiance’s money being taken? Well first off she was placed there to rehabilitate and get physical therapy because she had her leg amputated below the knee. And i do go and visit her three times a week. But regardless of all that NO ONE has the right to put there hands on her personal items unless she is aware of it and they have to move her for some reason, it didn’t just climb out of the dresser drawer all by itself when she was sleeping. and you must be blind or have turned a blind eye to the truth about this being ongoing in i’d say 4 out of 5 nursing facilities. Help us out instead of sticking up for dishonest employees.
I just returned back after outing with my son find out they took something out of my bottom drawer today unbelievable we have a constitution of the United States the fourth amendment I can’t search and seizure it was unlawful for them to do this you need to report them you have rights even if you’re in Canada you should have rights I think this this is ridiculous this is happening you cant afford to keep replacing these items. But if they are that careless with your moms items I would come unannounced had a late time outside of visiting hours to see how they are caring for your mother because they probably are not caring for her properly as well :0(trust me I know I am in a place like this I see what goes on after visiting hours
Pamela email aliotopamela0Agmail.com I have had 20.00 dollars stolen a watch my ty packer bear my grandkids given me and a sweater i ordered and was dilivered here and never received. what can i do about this also other complaints about not getting my medications.
My Mother was also in a nursing home. She lived with me for eight years, but then she began to be mean. Slapping me in the face etc. I decided to put her in a nursing home. The first nursing home, she lost her hearing aid. They said she flushed it down the toilet. My Mother would not do that. She had her hearing aid for years before the nursing home and never once tried to get rid of it. I do believe the people that work there, or their helpers take the items, and sell them. A hearing aid whether new or used could bring someone a good amount of money. Most people take their hearing aides out at night and set them on their dresser so they can put them back in, in the morning first thing. I then moved my Mother to another nursing home, It was much better, but she did not have the hearing aid. I could not replace it, because of the amount of money they cost. My sister would not help with our Mother at all. My Mother has since passed, and despite all the trouble with nursing homes, I miss her terribly.
This is an idea that I have, and would give someone an excellent job. Hiring an AP person, no uniform, but a badge. They could walk the halls, enter rooms to say “hello”, but really checking on patients and belongings.
I, myself, was in a nursing home for two weeks, and had items stole from me that were in the closet. They have to have entered your room when your asleep, and take what they want. You are not aware of the loss till you go to pack to leave. The AP, Asset Protection, person could monitor who goes in and out of the rooms, and could verify at the time what is being taken out of the rooms especially at night. I awoke one night to find an employee going through my things. I asked her what she was doing. Said she was just checking. I told her that was not necessary and she could leave. Did not see her again during my stay. Things need to change. People are different, and don’t care. We need to not let them get away with taking our things.
My mother is in a nursing home in NJ. They charge $9.00 for the mandatory diapers. Rather than pay that I purchases boxes of 54 for $22.00 from Walmart and bring them there. Someone is now stealing her diapers. I bout 5 boxes the end of October before leaving for Florida for the winter. I don’t think they change her more than once a day, so they should have lasted until May when I returned. The second week of January, my brother said they were all gone, so I am guessing someone took at least 3 full boxes. I purchased more and instructed my brother to leave only one box at a time and to check each time he went to see how many were missing. Three days ago there were about 60 of them sitting on the shelf of her closet. Two days later they were all gone and they were telling him that he needed to bring more. This is clearly not a case of something being misplaced. It is total thievery. What kind of a horrible person steals someone’s diapers?
We have been dealing with nursing homes for eight years. My husband lost his mother due to catching c diff, heartbreaking. My father one infection after another due to his catheter bag constantly being on the floor. My father in law accused of touching a nurse inappropriately, he was falling and just reached for help. The coments crushed him. My mother was cussed at by a tech. We always keep a very close eye on all of them. Too many bad experience to mention. The homes we had them in were all in great location ,new pretty and staff all talk about how protective they were. They are all horrible. No respect for the elderly. And yes stealing is constant and it irratating problem. I’m so sorry you are going through this. It is so sad, but there is no one who really cares. Our govermentioned needs to change the laws to protect our remarkable elders. What ever happen to the quote respect your elderly.
I work as a customer service director in a nursing home and I can tell you this is a very common problem. It is my job directly to take and follow up on all concerns in the building including lost items. I 100% understand the frustration for families when items, especially very expensive items go missing, and even more importantly, when they are a necessity like glasses, teeth hearing aids, etc. One thing however, some families sometimes do not take into account, and I am not saying this is your case because I do not know the whole circumstances, but, if the resident in question has dementia, they can be constantly taking item off and leaving them in other areas. Another resident can come along and pick it up. This can happen in a matter of minutes before any staff member has a chance to notice. We have a resident that is constantly taking her dentures out and leaving them places and staff are constantly having to go behind her and locate them. So, although it is easy to assume the staff are just negligent in taking care of your loved ones items. You must be able to look at the big picture.
WE ARE IN OREGON USA
my husband is a dying veteran of the Vietnam war. he volunteered. he has had pneumonia, stroke, 2 heart attacks.
done to him: shaved off ALL his hair and ALL his beard, against our will. i did not recognize him.
given him dirty clothes, after stealing his, with mites in them. thus he got bitten up.
stole $100 dollars of his clothes.. this in a brand new 2 Million dollar rest home. so as i was taking him out their social worker DESIGNEE — means she did not get any degree, screamed at me. made me cry in the restroom. asked him if he REALLY wanted to come home with his wife. REAL NICE…..
now in va approved… contracted homes (a joke)
first, had black and blue marks on arms and legs. i reported to POLICE. they came over every week and spoke with him. THEN both feet bled all over the top sheets. left one was a puncture wound left to be infected for 3 mos. right one large toenail hald wripped off. painful…..
ALL $300 of his clothes stolen. they did leave 2 pails of slacks, wripped up both seams on the side. \
SAD THINGS DANGEROUS THINGS when he went in his kidney function at my house was 1.1 when he got out of there it was 2.6 (4 being worst requiring kidney dialysis) THEN HE HAD a HEART ATTACK in front of me… i raced to give him an aspirin and got the paramedics. he landed in ICU with blood poisoning. got him on heavy antibiotics. the head of the ICU raced in ASAP.
MY HUSBAND IS A FORMER FEDERAL JUDGE. makes no difference, could be the president of the us. I am NOT laughing….
we are moving back to South
Carolina where folks are more genteel. and neighbors will help me use our Hoyer Lift to keep him going. Got to save for a used van, va will not help us. THEY EVEN STOLE ALL
MY HUSBANDS FATHERS DAY GIFTS.
i rarely cry, but that one made me cry in my car and i had to pull over.
if i cant take care of him at home again, we will spend every cent we have on foster care and hope they let me take him home some weekends to play with his PUPPY.
God Bless You All and your loved ones.. Beth
and Robert
I spent almost an hour searching threw garbage bags to find a residents dentures he accidentally threw out into a Kleenex. I attentive and always observe my residents I apologize that the staff is not as observant and this keeps recurring for your mother and your family. Stories like this upset me, if apon hire they would find out if the individual really cared and shows compassion/empathy of caring for oneself let alone some one else than they should be given the privilege to help others. Once again im so sorry about your story.
In los Angeles mothers things would come up missing she was not aware of it but we were we didn’t say anything we were afraid they wouldn’t take care of her my sister brought her back home to die my sister kept her for 3 yrs
Hello. My father is in a nursing home in Collingwood On. Since going into this facility in March of 2017, he has had broken glasses, a broken hearing aid and now his brand new hearing aid of 3 weeks has gone totally missing. It cost us close to $3000.00. The staff is supposed to remove it each evening at bedtime and put it away safely till the morning. We have no idea when it went missing in the past 4 days since our last visit as no one bothered to call us. When we asked staff what happened we got different stories, so we are not even aware of what the truth is. So now my father cannot hear and keeps claiming the nurse took it and the nurse is saying he would not give it to them at bed-time. My question would be if that were the case why didn’t the nurse get another staff member to help her retrieve it. At this time all I can do is feel anger and cry at how things are handled. I am just so frustrated with lack of documentation and answers.
Yes unfortunately my mother who has Dementia, is blind,and has arthritis has been a victim of the same and the nursing home refuses to take responsibility for personal property lost or missing for one reason or another.
I work in a nursing facility and to be honest, some nursing staff doesn’t actually care. I mainly work in dementia wing (morning shift) and we all know that people with dementia always put their personal stuff like dentures and eyeglasses everywhere in the room (even in someone else’s room). Even in low and high risk wings, they also missing some personal staff and the resident’s family just had enough and transferred their love ones in another nursing home that they think it’s better. All nursing homes are the same. Some people just go to work to get paid and didn’t really care. It’s sad to admit but it’s the fact. I can’t imagine my mum would be living in a nursing home and something like this would happen to her.
I have heard of these items going missing in Australian Care Homes, although not affecting my family, even teeth being ground down.
This is outrageous. If you can afford it, leave elderly people in their own homes with nursing aides.
The quality of care in Nursing Homes is abysmal.
Caring for other living beings is a calling. It can be a very difficult job as well as very rewarding. We allow poor training, very low wages/benefits and incomplete screening for those who perform the tasks required to look after our loved ones. And, let’s face it, there are also folks out there who should not really be caring for others. Long term care facilities are multi-faceted in-and-of-themselves. Families must advocate for their members in care. Things will go missing, for sure. Procedures set in place should have a time limit and contingency plans for resolution. Even missing slippers could cause more serious issues. I find the time to resolve the issue of missing items is a black hole and the importance of even the smallest missing thing is not appreciated by all staff. Perhaps the cost of the replacing the perpetually lost items should be a tax write-off with correlation to the particular nursing home. This could then be investigated as to which nursing homes do a poor job caring for the personal items of their clients and held responsible. Sometimes, just reporting on the fact can spurn changes on a larger scale. But it still all comes back to the people themselves and to us as family and friends. Perhaps the PSW function needs to be upgraded with more schooling and credentials required. We definitely need more funding from the federal government and more employees at the facilities. CCV cameras in all rooms may help in facilities where theft is prevalent. My personal solution was to buy a table at an auction that had places to ‘store’ items that may go missing. It seems to work. Mind you, my friend is in a private room, which may reduce the amount of missing items. He doesn’t wear glasses or dentures, so not yet an issue. We have located some small incidentals that went a.w.o.l, but we still can’t find the slippers ($120). On the other hand, my dad (with alzheimer’s) lives at home with my mum and we’ve caught him hiding newly purchased items in garbage cans and we still can’t find some stuff from Christmas just past. It’s all about being visible at the facility and communicative with the staff. Wow, what a heart wrenching subject. Love and concern to everyone who is struggling.
Hi Debbie,
I work in LTC as a CCA and soon to be LPN. The issue of lost items in nursing homes is very frustrating and one that is too common. I have here some words of wisdom and advice for families and separate advice for care workers.
First of all, know that things will go missing. Obviously expensive items like dentures and glasses are more serious than socks and underclothing. I am not asking you to be okay with things being lost forever, but just know that this is something that will happen. Your loved one is in a new living arrangement with wanderers, overworked staff, under staffed sometimes, and stuff that looks like someone else’s stuff. Some nursing homes have night tables with a drawer and cupboard that can be locked. These tables are great for glasses, dentures, watches, shoes, etc. Keep important items at home (e.g. family ring, gold jewelry, etc). If items are missing, ask the staff to check the lost and found box. Offer to do the resident’s laundry, provide a laundry bag/hamper and a sign where the resident has their care done, and one in the tub room stating to put their clothing in the provided bag/hamper. Get insurance on expensive items if possible, and discuss policies with nursing home.
If you are a worker and a family member approaches you with a list of lost items. Here are a few things you can do:
Check for yourself the residents room, check their roomie’s drawers and closets too. Sometimes laundry or personal items might be placed on the wrong side of the room. Check the lost and found box with the family, if items are unmarked or tags fell off, replace them promptly. If new clothing items are brought in the home, label them promptly. Write a note in the nursing station to look out for items, include a description if possible. Place dentures in proper cup with resident’s name labelled on the container. If resident’s have a tendency to take their teeth out during naps and you find them in the bed sheets, write a note for report about taking the resident’s dentures out when they nap. Include a note in the room if needed (as a reminder for casual workers especially). Identify any wanderers who take things and be proactive as a team in ensuring they do not take things. If they do take things then return items to proper rooms.
I understand the demencia part and that in itself is sad. the issue i have is first my fiance’ doesn’t have demencia, she suffers from Agoraphobia which is an anxiety disorder and she is there because of an amputation of part of her left leg. And seconed she put the bag with her $70 dollars,food stamp card and her SSI benefits debit card in the top drawer right by her bed and it disappeared while she took a 90 minute nap.
I am a caregiver to my 99 yr old mother who has dementia/alzheimer. I had an accident and was forced to temporarily place mom in a respite care. Mom was a cheerful person, had a great appetite, not aggressive at all, mom loves everyone. It was her first time in a nursing home. My first encounter with administrators they asked a lot of questions and I was reassured that they had all the information to properly care for mom. The first week I noticed she slept a lot more than usual but I thought it can be the change of environment. Then I would learn bits here and there from various attendants. Not one of the many attendants had the same impression or information on mom. One told me that lady cannot walk do not get her up. Well I was surprised, she did walk with a walker with assistance of course. It started like this and then I noticed mom was being fed pureed food, was in diapers all the time (mom used to go to the bathroom with assistance). Then I learned she had been aggressive so they kept her sedated with antidepressant, in diapers in bed. No one told us except for some attendants. Other attendants would say they had no problem at all with mom, others had different opinions. I assumed mom would panic if rushed and being handled too abruptly. I observed some attendants being very caring and others just treating her like a bag of potatoe, do this to that and quick, no compassion, just doing a job and schedule. No human compassion. After several weeks, mom is back home, she has lost the little bit of leg tonus she had, she can no longer walk short distances, she rarely smiles. The nursing home destroyed her spirit, her dignity. I am certain she would no longer be with us had she stayed there. She lost her favorite teddy bear, her denture was broken, her hearing aid was found on the floor etc.. and no one ever took responsibility, they even dressed her up with someone else;s dress. Often when we visited her hearing aid battery was dead, so she would talk louder and of course this was disturbing others, so I can only assume they would sedate her to keep her quiet. She had a bad rash on her legs from soap, when I asked for her medicated leg cream, they did not know she needed it. I was surprised some attendant dressed her up that morning and never noticed the rash and just shoved the socks on her. Mom was scratching her legs in pain. All this information was in her file, allergy to soaps and prescribed cream for her rash??? I did not complain for fear of my mother being mistreated. I prayed that I could take her home before something terrible would hapen. It is very sad for elderly people who have no children to care for them. This experience has reinforced my negative thoughts on nursing homes. I am praying that I can care for mom to the end.
As an administrator, this is unfortunately an issue in most homes. While some of the issue is employee based we have found that the greater issue are other residents who are often confused and “shop” in rooms. It is so easy for items to be removed without an employee noticing and then tossed in a garbage can, then emptied by housekeeping unaware of the contents. While it is the responsibility of the home to create a culture of respect for resident’s belongings, families generally do bear the cost of “missing or lost” items. Each home must deal with such situations on a resident by resident basis and identify how to reduce or eliminate re-occurrances and engage the family in dialouge regarding risk, insurance and how to collaboratively find solutions. Ultimately, the home should identify that beyond the excessive replacement costs of these items, there is a quality of life issue for the resident. No care home is perfect, but it is how you support residents and families that make the difference. That culture is then passed along to employees who see their leadership team exemplifying resident focused care.
My is sister is intellectually disabled and this is also a big problem regarding her clothes.I started buying her some more clothes when she no longer had nothing left hoping the missing clothes would be returned.Instead,the new clothes went missing and begin wearing awful garments that 3 or 4 sizes to big for her small frame.When I reported the issue it was obvious they were aware of the problem and did not care about it and cared about complainers even less. What hurts the most is I enjoy taking my sister out in public on week ends but cannot because of the clothes she has to wear.I believe her clothes are being thrown away in hopes of her just wearing a hospital gown which is much easier for the CNA after all they are the ones that dress her and undress her.
Hi Jesse,
I also have an intellectually disabled sister in a nursing home (in the US) who loves her outings, and nice clothes.
For the most part, my sister’s stuff stays put. But when she gets new, cute tops or dresses, some tend to go missing for a while. If they ended up in another resident’s closet by mistake and the resident didn’t notice, the clothes would be in new condition when found. If a resident got them by mistake and wore them, my sister would know and be all over it in 2 seconds. But nope. The clothes show up weeks or months later, obviously worn. None of her ordinary clothes, or items with stains or rips, ever disappear.
She also likes pretty nightgowns — always has — and I see them as giving her a sense of normality. They disappear and we never see them again. I’ve often wondered if the disappearance is intentional because it’s easier to drape a hospital gown over her for bed and much easier to change her. I buy short nighties or button-up night shirts to make things easier on staff, but even that might be a hurdle for aides.
I won’t accuse staff of wrongdoing without proof, so the cycle continues.
Yes mom 98 at ltc.. they have lost their hearing aids. Three timesin three years. They even sign for them when removed and put in nursing cart for night and sign them out again in morning. Last week set them on counter after signing for them…..lost…no one knows where they went. 5000$ to replace..again….. Worst part is she is totally deaf without them…cannot hear now and with dementia is twice as bad for her. Little to no sympathy from staff. Soooooo upsetting…
I would be interested in knowing if any research has been done in this area or if there are any policies you have come cross that could help in getting reimbursement for lost dentures. In my moms case she gave the PSW her dentures and asked her to put them in the container in the bathroom. Who know’s where they went but now my mom has no dentures and no means to get news ones.
This is happening to my sister who is in a nursing home after suffering a stroke. I am on this website searching for answers like you. The attendants at this nursing home have the nerve to say to me that my sister lost those missing items, eyeglasses, cell phone, etc. However, my sister is paralyzed on her left side and is in a wheelchair. I don’t think they are stealing as much as they are throwing the items away, i.e., in the bed linen, food tray, etc. Finally, I tried to explain if they were more careful and considerate, this would not happen.
A New York based company makes systems that helps nursing homes prevent loss of residents’ items. Many nursing homes in the U.S have this system. It’s called Scandent. http://www.scan-dent.com/
After only a few months in a care home my relative had his new bedside table taken from his room while he was in ICU. A few months later the new ROHO cushion on his new wheel chair has gone missing. A hard non-Roho cushion of a dead resident was left on his chair in palce of the expensive ROHO cushion we bought for him. Seems like theft to me.
I am a manager of a care home for dementia and have this problem. My staff and I have spent hours on the internet trying to find an answer to this problem. The dentist can now put the name of the resident in the teeth, but they could not guarantee the resident would not misplace their teeth. We initial the hearing aids with a permanent marker and all glasses have the residents initial or name on them. These changes have helped who owns what when the residents leave them around the home, but if these items have been put down the toilet or wrapped in tissue and thrown in the bin etc it does not help the situation. Desperate to find a solution.
My mom’s lower dentures were just lost in nursing home. She has dementia and cannot take care of her needs on her own anymore, although she is still able to feed herself. I found that the dentures were missing ,the staff had no idea. I am in the process of getting them replaced but trying to find solution for accountability by staff going forward. Can the dentures be signed off on a med record by nurse or in a log book by her aides shift to shift. Thinking of bringing these ideas to administration
as I don’t want to do this again.
Do u have any thoughts on these ideas or any others that I may suggest to administration?
Thanks
It is very unfortunate but this goes on here in the states also..
An elderly lady in my building with no family went into a nursing home/rehab facility..I am her Health Care Proxy.
The only thing she had with her of any value was a gold chain necklace with a cross on it. She had it on as far as last Friday, 7/15.. A friend who also visits frequently always checks to see that she had it and on that evening she was wearing it.
Come Tuesday and he again visits and she tells him her chain is missing..When asked when she noticed she said a while…So it happened between Friday evening and Tuesday morning.. The chain was not so large that in taking off a top it would have come off nor can she take it off as was suggested by someone there because her hands shake a bit.. They said maybe it fell into the wastebasket..again, it would have to have been taken off for that to happen.
I kind of blame myself for not bringing it home but at the same time this was an item she has had for years and never took off and was one item along with a little radio that would remind her of home and at least that they were hers in this strange environment…something she was used to seeing and having.
They hire nurses that are still wet behind the ears, no experience and very few na’s..Can you believe this facility charges $13,000.00 monthly? So much money so that they can steal your things. Outrageous!
We are hoping to be able to bring her home after the rehab ends in September and put that money towards getting her home assistants and visiting nurse service. I wish there were family available to help with the decisions but there is no one..She is 93 y.o.
As for me, I hope to die at home.
Yes we have had the same problem. First it was her own wheelchair then it was her bottom dentures now both her hearing aids have gone missing. Not to mention since she has been in there 12mths
She has had at least 15 pairs briefs and 8 bras they have all been lost in the wash.
Mum will be 102 in August she has dementia can not walk alone and needs to be dressed and undressed
As far as I can see she cannot be held responsible for her belongings.
So whom is it upto
They said that she can have another wheelchair at the cost to us of £145 her original wheelchair was only 9mths old when she went into the nursing home. Why should mum or her family be made to foot the bill. It really is exasperating.
Thanks for reading
Yes, I know how you feel.
Those who are running nursing homes where they allow the workers to not be responsible for the resident’s belongings are just plain wicked and inconsiderate. Their time and day will come. I know of a nursing home that ran their establishment on lies. When the resident’s clothing went missing after she died, they would not help the family in trying to find them. They gave the family the run around and was very rude to them. They did not even have enough sense to call the family member to have them pick up the clothing. They just got rid of them and when asked about them they did not have an answer. They tried to pass off some donated clothes to the family member as the resident’s lost clothing. This did not work because the family member was very active in the resident’s care and very much aware of the clothing that she brought to the nursing home. These people who work at the nursing home thought they were slick. Even after the family member wrote a four page detailed letter to the nursing home administrator in hopes of them helping to resolve the matter, they continued to string the family member along. The more the family member called to follow up with them, the more the administrator would not take the phone call and not return any messages. They did this because they thought the family member was stupid and would finally give up. Not so! The family member was hurt and very frustrated at the treatment of this nursing home, so she got other people involved in the matter and challenged this wicked nursing home to pay for the lost clothing.
The family member has been compensated for the lost clothing, but the way they issued care to their family member does not sit well with them. This nursing home needs to be either closed down and let a new competent staff take over. The doctor who took care of this resident needs to be fired because he could care less about the residents. He is just a cold walking dead of a person, collecting his pay check every week. However, his wicked deeds are known by the creator and one day he will get what he deserves. The state needs to crack down on many of these nursing homes because they don’t really care for the residents and many of the nurses aides do not know how to care for humans. In fact, their attitudes are poor and they are abusive. They are not equipped or educated enough to do the job. Somebody needs to watch for these older people and people need to stop putting their family members in these places and not checking on the nursing staff to see how they are treating the residents.
The government has got to do a better job in making sure that the workers in the nursing homes are equipped to do the job and that they care for the resident’s in an excellent manner. They have to start bringing penalties on these people who are treating the residents poorly.
if any of the lost items were in the inventory list at the facility, then the facility is liable to replace them.
my brother is in middlesex nursing home In ONT and his new dentures are missing ; they told me they are not responsible as they consider them valuables in E.G. wallets ; gold chains ; radio or other things ; they also told me my brother may have threw them at staff which is total nonsense as he cannot even feed himself so how is he be able to throw things when he cannot lift anything in his hands
r
how on earth can they consider dentures that one needs to eat with as valuables ;’ I am going to pursue this through my MP and write a letter to the editor column in Sarnia paper and London paper ;
no one on earth considers dentures as VALUABLES
What if the person has no family.
I am a patient in a Nursing Home in Newcastle NSW Since coming here many of my new clothes some still unworn have been stolen. Perfumes, ornaments , money have been taken . The Manager says she will investigate. In the meantime locks on the doors Management supplied, have keys. Where to put the keys? I wore a key around my neck, on waking key is gone and I find it in a neat little pile in my bed. More new clothes are stolen. Management does not care. Surveillance cameras should be around!. On speaking to others in different Homes I found they were suffering the same fate. Where has Honesty gone. If the Management ignore this situation would that be called a criminal act?
I am charged with the oversight of 31 Skilled Nursing Communities for Housekeeping and laundry, and have been researching this issue at length. I have been looking at RFID technology and think it will be some sort of tracking system like this that will be the solution. I would love to say that this system is fool proof, but items not tagged will still fall out of sight. I think if we could get the tags down below a $1 and the three of four RFID readers under a thousand dollars. We need to be able to locate items and prevent them from being unintentionally thrown away, or laundered. I would love to extend this to the tracking to the personal clothing and the miss deliveries we all know happen.
How much of this cost to long term care would you family members willing supplement?
Some estimates I have received topped $60-70K, I think I could program something basic for $10K.
Hi, we developed a RFID system to avoid lost of prosthesis and other objects.
The readers are under $1,000 and tags are under 1$. Tags are small enough and can be detected 2 to 4 meter from the antennas, depending of the environment. We are finalizing the software now.
Interested to know more?
This problem of “”disappearing personal items ” seems to be rife My mother in a U.K care home
suffers from the same losses. I used to make sure that she had the same quality of clothing and personal possessions that she was used to .but they slowly disappeard .of course it was always mother’s fault .Knickers ,T shirts. shoes (black ) ones were taken or exchanged Hearing aids were swapped for ones that didn’t work, for mother’s one that did, she now has to go to have some new
ones .as they are made to fit the owner . A good watch was swapped for a piece of broken rubbish’and now I have just found that her own T .V has been taken and replaced by an older ,smaller one
Of course these items are never found,????????????? and I wonder if it is now time to start
invoicing the care home for the cost of replacing ALL the items large or small.
I think property goes on the missing list, because it is assumed that the owner of said items will
not realise that they are no longer there, or have been exchanged .Put down to their having
Dementia. or too old to notice
I do now have a written list of all her clothes and shoes which is pastd to the inside of her wardrobe
door, which I do upgrade, and write on it items that have “gone missing “
I have a solution for you. A tool lock box with a code to keep valued items in.
Yes this happens all across the board in spades. Care aides are busy with behavioral issues, clients dying, getting people ready for appointments and normally take care of 9 to 10 people a day. The morning shift is the most difficult time in any nursing home. This means in the span of an hour a human being is getting up 9 human beings in an hour in some places! This includes people who may not have a leg, blind, behavioral issues etc.
Care aides are often over worked in this sector and burn out rate high.
Some places have a locked in unit for people with Alzheimer’s, others do not. Many times it is other clients simply wandering off with someone else’s things and doing God knows what, including put items in the garbage.
Unfortunately staff can not watch over 9-10 people all the time at once. Things can happen very fast such as a fall or even a fight between clients and that takes anyone’s attention away.
Know your staff and come in often. Find out what the issue’s are and make them public and political. Be the voice care aides often can not be or that of their clients.
Earlier in this post I spoke about my father-in-law’s dentures going missing. We have purchased him 2 new pairs of glasses in the last year, and now have to purchase a new pair because it’s gone missing AGAIN. My mother also resides in the same nursing home. Now her stuff is going missing. She had 2 hearing aids ($2,000). First one went missing, and before we could get that one replaced I found out yesterday the other has gone missing. Do we now have to start filing complaints with police to have resident areas searched. Everything that has gone missing was clearly marked with their names. When we ask caregivers/nurses all we get is “I don’t know”, you need to check with lost & found yourselves. They are open between the hours of….blah blah blah blah blah….when I tell them we work those hours they shrug their shoulders. At a cost of $2500 a month to reside in these facilities, and watching some caregivers siting and watching TV in the common room I’m now contemplating going to the top. Never mind supervisors etc…
My father has had his dentures taken a couple of times at $3000 a pair and the trauma of getting it done and not being able to eat…it is a real problem. Please my mother gets upset and we have a whole period of upheaval in the family. She and we cannot afford to replace them over and over and over my dads long term care bill and her rent…..it is a big burden.
My mom is in a long term care hospital in Ottawa and her hearing aids have been lost 3 times. A member of her family or the care assistant we hire has been there to put her to bed every night for the last 500 days running to make sure they don’t go missing. If we ever miss a night because someone is sick or exhausted , they are inevitably gone or misplaced, even when we talk to the night nurses in the evening – most of whom have been caring for her for months, and get assurances face to face that this will be taken care of .. We’ve been told it’s in the daily orders, but we can never trust the staff. We have signs up all over her room, we talk to the staff about it all the time, we’ve had long meetings with the managers. Thousands of dollars out of pocket for my parents, hours and hours of negotiating with the hospital and insurance, delaying paying other bills waiting for the insurance money to come in. And absolutely the worst part of it: leaving my mother, who has hardly any capacities left, unable to talk to anyone or understand anything.. it is tragically, heartbreakingly isolating. The first time it happened she was so isolated and disoriented for so long before replacements were fitted — I know it was a major factor in a big decline in her health and in misdiagnoses, as she wasn’t able to talk to or hear any of her caregivers, physios, psychologists etc.. I just heard today that the hospital lost her hearing aids on Saturday and I just want to kill someone. I just can’t understand why why why they cant’ figure this out. it’s just not that complicated, and it’s so deeply important.
My father-in-law has been there for almost 3 years. Things go missing constantly and no one wants to take responsibility. We’ve asked them to take his teeth out every night and give them back in the morning, we’ve asked them to take his hearing aids out every night and return them in the morning. We asked them to put a sign on the wall so that the garbage bag is checked before they take it out to ensure nothing has fallen into it. i.e. hearing aids/glasses/teeth. We’ve had to replace his glasses twice, we bought brand new false teeth $3500, we’ve had them lost I don’t know how many times, but thankfully we’ve found them. Unfortunately, today the bottom ones went missing again, and this time I don’t think they’ll be found. One of his hearing aids was missing, and today we noticed the other one is also gone. We ask anyone and all we get is “I don’t know, he must’ve lost them again”. Putting the blame on a 93 year old man. He pays enough to live there per month, someone else needs to start stepping up to the plate for all the costs that the families are incurring. They seem to think it’s no big deal that the families money tree will never run dry. We’ve had so many things go missing even though it all clearly had his name on it. We even had the denturist engrave his name on his teeth. What more do they expect the families to do.
Sorry to hear this re your mum. My mum is in a nursing home in Australia. The same occurs here. I’m in the process of replacing her dentures. Upper and bottom as they too have gone missing. Most recently she has lost her glasses. It is very distressing for her and for her family. I wish I had a solution to share but I don’t. Best of luck.
Sadly, it is the same thing in the United States. My mother lost her lower dentures after having a stroke in the nursing home, being hospitalized, then being re-hospitalized with pneumonia. Her mental functioning was compromised, and when her bottom dentures disappeared we were told that the kitchen staff doesn’t have the extra time to go over all of the trays when they come back to make sure that people with dentures didn’t accidentally leave them on the tray. The staff looked in her room, but no one had looked at her during or after lunch and noticed her teeth were missing until later in the day, and it’s likely she lost them in the dining room earlier in the day. When I asked for help in financing the dentures, I was told it was our responsibility to buy new dentures. It seems to be their responsibility to take the monthly check for room and board, but no one is responsible if a compromise patient loses her dentures.
Now, my mother’s brand-new hearing aid is missing. No one is taking any responsibility – as a matter of fact every time something disappears, it seems the staff blames the disappearance on the memory of the patient. Very convenient in a nursing home that houses primarily the elderly, wouldn’t you say? We haven’t finished paying for the hearing aids – and she was able to wear them for a month in order to determine whether or not she wanted to keep them, but now we will be out the $2700 for the one hearing aid that’s missing even if we determine we are going to return both hearing aids. Because, of course, we will only have the one hearing aid to return. ( by the way, it’s a long story how only one hearing aid got lost, but suffice it to say the other hearing aid was damaged by a clinician and is with the clinician right now being fixed.)
I’m not quite sure what to do about any of this. I’ll know tomorrow if they’ll help us pay for the hearing aid. But I suspect it’s going to be exactly like it was with the dentures. Our burden. I’m so sorry you’ve been going through this, as I am sorry for everyone who goes through it. But it isn’t a Canadian phenomenon. It’s happening in nursing facilities in the states, too.
Nursing Homes have always been this way. The staff generally does not care about their residents. The majority of people who work in nursing homes are not enjoying their work. Not only that, they do not hesitate to write down LIES, LIES, LIES into the paperwork. It is the way it is. Some nursing homes are better than others- we all know that. Don’t get too hot and bothered about missing items, because it is very common. Nursing Homes are obviously good for some people and it is refreshing to see them thrive. My heart goes out to you. I have gone through all the rigamarole and truly have some dark moments…But I have found that prayer, along with keeping track of your loved one’s care, is the only way to go. Someday you will feel good about the fact that your efforts made a difference. May God Bless You and keep you afloat.
I’m not in Canada but the USA, and have encountered the same problems with my loved one’s missing glasses, missing clothing, shirts, pants, shoes, coats, radio’s etc. Usually it is the staff taking most of these things, but some residents also take them. Some clothing are misplaced in the laundry, and taken by others, which is why I started doing my brother’s laundry. The nursing home has no quality laundry program which allows the tracking of a resident’s clothing, it’s a population hazard. Just a name on the item does not stop dishonesty if someone wants to take it. My doing his laundry worked for a time but during a blizzard I had to send the laundry back by UPS and it disappeared after it reached the nursing home. After a complaint some items came back but the newly purchased items I sent along with the laundry are still missing. I am fighting to get reimbursed, I have the receipts. The manager is fighting me to replace the items themselves with lower quality items. Always communicate in writing with the managers, take pictures of the things which you provide or make a video record for your own record. I have photos of the clothing which I purchase along with the receipts. Log in with the front desk what you bring to the place. Engrave the eye glasses in the lenses to identify them. This may help. Good luck
Unfortunately, I’m glad to have found this comment thread. I have alot to say about this topic as my Mom has been in two different nursing homes over the past 3 years in Sault Ste. Marie. However, my main issue today is that I’ve recently encountered a situation where her purse was rifled through in her room (thank GOD I had her VISA, Passport and her Green Shield Card with me). Some spending money and all her I.D. and personal photos were taken. Initially, staff wrote it off as “Shoppers”..elderly residents who lift other elderly resident’s belongings. After putting all the puzzle pieces together, even the Administration agrees there is a thief amongst their staff, volunteers, or visitors. No old lady in a wheel chair could have pulled this off.
We need more security in these places. My Moms’ I.D. along with her personal and cherished photographs were in the folder that was removed from her purse, along with the cash and her change purse. Her almost empty purse was located in a very peculiar spot. A place she would have never put it. Obviously it was someone who knew my Mom was out of her room, knew where her purse was hidden, and had some insight as to what might be in there. We don’t care about the money at this point. We want her I.D. and photos back. This has got to stop. If my Mom was ripped off, I’m sure other ladies and gents were ripped off on the same floor and elsewhere. Not enought emphasis is put on this. It’s shoved under the rug and blown off and nobody takes responsiblity. Let’s get together and do something. I’m sick of my Mom and other elderly folks in these homes being taken advantage of. I want my Mom’s I.D. and her photos back. And I want all of our parents and grandparents to feel safe and secure in these places without having to worry about losing their belongings. Let’s do something. I’m all in.
My Mom is also in a LTC facility in Ontario. It is really sad to see that all the beautiful clothes she once was used to wearing is a chance for them to be taken, stolen or misplaced. For Christmas last year I purchased two beautiful cardigans and within one weak of having them in her closet, they have disappeared (and might I add that they have never been returned!). I was also once told by one of the staff that she needed more bras and socks! I was so taken aback and embarrassed! I almost lost it since I have purchased over 30 bras and at least one hundred pairs of (diabetic) socks in one year!! Oh where do they go? And all were labeled with her name and room! I am left to buy less expensive clothing and it breaks MY heart! I now leave notes on her closet door as to when I notice a piece of clothing that is missing. Her dentures were also lost (and NO staff advised me of the loss!) and I had to make appointments for her to be refitted with bottom dentures. It is very difficult to see a parent having to go through this. I mentioned that since her dentures were less than 5 years old, that her insurance would NOT cover them. There was not much sympathy from the staff. Obviously, the dentures were not paid by them!
There has to be some sort of recourse for the families other than having to bite down and provide the missing items for their loved-ones. I am seriously thinking of getting little GPS chips to see if it is not staff that take the items (hopefully not the dentures)! Obviously my Mom cannot advocate for herself when something is missing. I try to keep on top of the situation and mention it everytime there is something missing. But, again, the look on the staff’s face tells me that they are far from being interested in what has disappeared.
Vicki
My Mom is in a long term care home in Hamilton Onntario. She is palliative with end stage cancer and blind as well! Family does her laundry and we have signage ever where in her room. All of her clothing has been “accidentally” sent out for laundering and is returned like shrunken rags. My mother is a heavier woman so we have purchased high end expensive clothing that fits her comfortably! They continue to either loose her expensive pants or destroy them. We have replaced one pair of pants for times at over 100.00 each, many nightgowns, bras, panties and even her Egyptian cotton blanket! When confronted with the problem, their response is that family should buy second hand clothing or cheap clothes at Walmart! It’s bad enough we have to pay for a laundry service that we don’t want but why doesn’t anyone care about the person! Its hard to believe that our seniors are being treated in this disgusting way. You don’t even have right to have nice clothing! Nobody cares……staff has endless excuses and family members just keep on paying. Family has been visiting my mom twice daily so they can catch the laundry before its sent out. Even doing this, laundry gets sent out first thing in the morning! It so upsetting and frustrating…..UNBELIEVABLE … It’s pathetic that they get away with this! We have to advocate for our loved ones and we need to inform the public of the goings on in Long Term Care
This is a little late, but Vicki, your letter could have been written by my mom in regards to my grandmother’s care in an American nursing home. It sounds as if nursing homes the world over are full of the same stories! All of my grandmother’s clothes went “missing” only 3 days after her entrance into the nursing home, including all of her socks and undergarments! The staff had her dressed in scrubs. (By the way my grandmother is wheelchair bound and has Alzheimer’s so it is not like she could have misplaced them herself). Her name was in every article of clothing. It wasn’t until my mother and uncle threatened to go to the police that some of the missing items happened to be “found” hidden in the laundry room. The majority was still missing. My mom had to buy hundreds of dollars of new replacement clothing. I bought a stuffed puppy dog for my grandmother for her birthday, which she holds onto day and night. It turned up missing yesterday (it was also labeled) and again the staff did not take anything seriously until my mom threatened with police action. And “surprise” it was found. The whole situation is sad.
My husband is in a LTC home in Calgary and his clothes keep going missing. His belt to hold up his pants, he has lost weight since going into the home. The home has happy hour and last week while at happy hour his pants fell down on the dance floor infront of all the residents. How embarassing!!! I ask the staff to look for the belt and they did nothing. Today I made an inventory of everything in his room. They ask for a padlock for his closet. I supplied a lock and it went missing. The nurses said they were looking for it, but they had the key. DAH what good does the key do without the lock. I purchased a new belt for him ($50) as he is Big n Tall. Had to buy it at George Richards. Now it went missing again. Today after making my inventory of what was in his closet the nurse looked in his room mates closet and found a pair of pants and the belt in his closet. He had one males shoe, a sock, and a ladies slip in his closet not his. The staff are negligent who do the laundry and return the clothes to the room. They just put it wherever, just to get out of the situation. Thank gooness he doesn’t have glasses or a hearing aid, or dentures. It is very frustrating for the families that have to replace articles that go missing. Today I gave them a second lock and told them if anything goes missing and I find the lock is not on the closet door, I will be calling in the Police for a search of the ward for his missing items. His shoes, slippers, pants, belt, hats, and socks have all gone missing. The laundry eats socks I am sure. They are all labelled but still to no avail. The staff don’t care at all. It is so frustrating.
My mother has been in a nursing home since October 2014. She was using a wheelchair that the facility supplied. The arm pads were falling off, it had no footrests on it, and every now and then screws would fall out from somewhere on the chair. We purchased a new chair for my mom and are afraid that somehow this will go “missing” like many other things of hers have. We labeled the chair as best we could with black markers and even had her name etched in the metal frame. I wish we could have a tracking device attached to the chair just in case. Any ideas?
I was just looking on-line in the hope that I might find some advice or support in dealing with a similar problem – hence I found this page. Unfortunately I am unable to help of offer any advice to you – sadly I can only tell you that the same problem also happens here in England.
My sister is currently in a long-term, residential care facility – a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit and Care Facility. Since her admission back in December 2012, 10 months after her brain injury, I have had to deal with numerous problems relating to her personal property going missing. To date none of the items, bar one pair of trousers, have been found or returned to her. I am currently trying to deal with the fact that 12 days ago a large amount of her clothing and some other personal belongings were found to be missing, indeed most of the missing clothing was reported to me by the care facility. In addition to this she went on a special “night out”, her first since before her admission to hospital, and as the other residents and care workers were in their best clothes I thought it only appropriate that my sister was dressed likewise. So I took in a very pretty, and rather expensive, outfit for her to wear. I made arrangements with the day staff, the night staff and the Manager of the unit that the outfit should be removed upon my sister’s return, placed in a bag, put in the Manager’s office and returned to me on my next visit, (the clothing actually belongs to me personally). Since then more than a month has passed and to date I have received nothing and have been told that they do not know where the outfit is. The same is said of the newly missing clothes. Everyone acts as if it’s not their problem, all they can do is continually tell me that she needs more clothes! (rubbing salt in the wound!).
I have once again taken to washing my sister’s clothes myself, which is what I did for over 2 years until the care facility put in place a new “system” for taking care of residents clothes washing. I feel totally stupid for having believed they could help in this way, it was supposed to take some of the pressure off me – I have a 9 year old child to take care of and am physically disabled myself, due to a spinal injury.
It upsets me most to think we use the words “CARE” … does anyone really care ? It certainly doesn’t feel like it at times! I have enough trouble trying to ensure my sister’s physical needs are taken care of, this is just an unnecessary, additional problem.
At this point in time it would appear I am left with no alternative but to notify the police of the missing items … I can only presume they have been stolen, as there is no other explanation for their disappearance! I am sure this is going to make the relationship between the family and the care facility very difficult, but what else can be done ??!!
I do hope that you have some resolution to your problem. My thoughts are with you.
I agree with your comments above and believe that this is a systemic issue throughout Canadian personal care homes. I am from Manitoba and my Mother is currently in a personal care home and she has lost several items – eye glasses, her large clock, etc. My advice is to take pictures of the items that are likely to disappear – glasses, dentures, etc. and have those pictures attached to the medical record. If possible when dentures are being created, I would find out if there is a way to place the name of the individual onto the denture plates so that when the items are “lost”, they can be identified and returned to the owner. Similarly, I would encourage identifying other items. I suspect that these items go missing through several routes: when bathing residents, the aide conducting the bath is pre-occupied with the task at hand, and it can be an assembly line procedure so personal items are left in the bathing room not at the bedside prior to the bath. The second more likely event is residents wandering into other residents’ rooms and seeing items that look “nice” or familiar, they may take them thinking they belong to them. I know the nursing home staff often have a collection of glasses etc. without any identification so they are unable to return them to residents. When I take my mother out of the facility, I close the door to her room; however, more often than not, when we return her door is open – housekeeping, other residents? There is no way to lock the door, though I think there should be a way to do this to protect the belonging of the resident. I would continue to press the head of the personal care home for innovative ideas on how to protect possessions.
I am introducing a identification method, for eyeglasses, hearing aids and Dentures. All items if lost then found can be readily identified.
eyedent@outlook.com
I am interested in your identificatin process. Please provide me more info. My MIL has lost two hearings AIDS in her nursing home in one month.
Gets costly to replace.
Thanks
Joan
Jheath@jettelsolutions.com
Just putting identification on items dentures, glasses hearing aids etc. may help some but is not the main issue. Because you ca have that and you still don’t find the missing items because I have reported things missing glasses, dentures clothing, bedding and they just put it on so called report and no one really takes time to look. I would like to suggest to Nursing Homes that every so often they have a procedure to check residents rooms, mainly those who are unable to do so themselves or they don’t have family that monitors the belongings in the room, and have said staff member see if others have someone else’s belongings. Many do not care, it’s not their parent of loved one and they don’t want to be bothered taking time to treat people properly and with the respect that should be given. It frustrates and makes my blood pressure rise that I have to go hunting for my Mom’s belongings. I find things belonging to others often and have to return to the nurse’s station or to that resident myself. I believe the issues are the staff and wandering residents who should not be allowed to go in other areas and peoples rooms. They should have to compensate for the losses and then maybe procedures would change. I’d like to suggest that the head of the nursing homes go in as undercover boss and see how they are treated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with alot of what i have read here we have experenced alot of the same issues and worse. I would love to see admin and director of nursing have to be patients with no special privileges and get a dose of reality but most directors and administrators dont really. Care and unfortunately your loved one is just another number/ paycheck. They truely dont care about residents or the families attached to them. Its really sad that our older generation is treated so disrespectful by these facilities that are suspose to provide and care for them but they truely dont. Medical needs are not met, staff is rude and disrespectful to residents and family, residents are left unattended to ( i have even found residents sleeping hunched over sleeping in the dinning room at 2 am and i questioned this and got told oh shes fine thats what she does.) If that was my family member i would be furrious. But its just normal for all nursing homes even the pretty fancy ones that have all the pretty building and floweres and furninshing, these ones are normally the worse because its all for show!!!!! There is little to no care by staff and not half the staff that would be needed to account for the amount of residents. Not to mention some nurses working like 22 hours in a row and only being off for 8 hours. And then working again. Its no wonder they cant keep track of patients or patients personal property. I discovered multiple times missed medications and inpropper logging of medications. Its completely disgraceful how these place opperate and they are making a fortune doing it. I hope anyone that reads this truely considers alternative options before using any of these faclities just remember we all get older and someday it might be you hopefully some day things will change because the entire nursing home / skilled nursing units desperately need to be restructured ( private pay and medicare/medicaid) remember the fancy the place more than likly the more there compensating for saddly. So it takes alot of on going time and involment to make sure your loved oned is taken care of and provided for just as if they were at home with you which is honestly a better solution if possible.
Please provide info on your identification process for personal items.
Debbie,
I have just returned from mom’s nursing home where one of her hearing aids has gone missing again! Two years ago, one went missing permanently. Purchased a new set $2,000. Early Dec, one went missing, found in laundry room 3 weeks later. Found the day I was ordering the new replacement $1500. Solution by staff was to put up a sign at the head of her bed to check for hearing aids before sending sheets to laundry… perhaps it should have read check hearing aids in patient’s ears before sending sheet to laundry. Receive a call a few days ago, hearing aid went missing after mom’s shower. Do the staff actually care about missing things. Not really, as they aren’t the ones having to replace them. I purchased an expensive $75 pair of slip-on running shoes with rubber soles (hard to find) at the start of summer… sent them to the laundry for “labelling”… never saw them again. My father was given a quilt from the Cancer Society when he was terminal. After he passed, the quilt was with mom for a short time before it went missing. I asked how many hearing aids go missing… “lots”. Obviously the procedures they are using (or not using) don’t work! My mom does not want to take out her hearing aids at night as she is legally blind and this is her link to the outside world. I don’t doubt that they would go missing at the nurses station either. Now they are going to check in the morning and at night as part of their routine (a little late). More than frustrated.
I am working with the Nursing homes in the Calgary area implementing an new technology for the return of found dentures and glasses to their owners. The nursing homes have found our program to be both cost effective and affordable. Best of all it takes a little strain of of us, the families.
David Evans
Eyedent Technologies.
proactivehealthsolutions@outlook.com
Can you give me some contact info for your company to pass on to my mom’s nursing home?
Any help for hearing aids to prevent them from going missing?
Re hearing aids-
The PM staff (who puts them to bed) should be told to take them and put them in a drawer (not in their room!) med cart etc. and chart they did that. If they go missing…hmm, who had Mrs ? last night. Hold the person accountable. We get held accountable all the time.
My father’s glasses & dentures also went missing. We often found these and other items in another patient’s room, though, as he was on a floor of patients with severe dementia, many of whom liked to “collect” things..Unfortunately, there was not much the staff could do about it, as they cannot watch over all the patients who wander in and out of rooms. My mother eventually taped down everything she could, labelled everything, and brought his glasses back and forth with her as he never read on his own anyway.
We have the same problem only worse in the UK.
Below are two letters explaining the loss of MANY possessions not just teeth – it can be very amusing when you get used to the conclusion that every care home is a kleptomaniac’s dream.
Hi
Yes we too have found that things go missing but after a while I have come to the conclusion (as Fiona said, and the post did make me laugh) that a lot of the time it is my mother who has left or swapped items as she wanders round the home. To date, a watch, pair of glasses, hearing aid, walking stick and various other things. Sometimes I go and one or other has reappeared only to be missing next time. I have stopped worrying about it and now only have to persaude my Dad to stop worrying too. Thought I might show him this thread so he realises it’s quite commmon. PP
Hiya Garnuft,
I have to say we all laughed that day – one when we sat looking at each other asking where the remote control had gone because we had been in her room for something like 6 hours by then and as she was sleeping the tv was the only thing to keep us amused! When we toddled off down to the lounge to tell the carers we’d been robbed whilst in situ – they laughed too – they knew who it was – had rescued the remote and the glasses but said that unfortunately the pot pourii was now at the end of the corridor providing great entertainment because they were all sitting there pulling it to bits! Off i went to see this for myself and sure enough – it was everywhere but a lot of contented residents were having a great time and one carer there making sure they didn’t eat the stuff! The carer said that they were thinking of hiring her out as a pick pocket if they were ever short of money – I said i’ll keep that in mind because she would be top of her profession that’s for sure! LOL
Can I just say I agree about the most precious thing in there being themselves. Also wanted to say about photographs too – if you can either print them off or if they are old photographs then scan them then print them – that is the preferable thing to do. Photograph ripping also seems to be a favoured pastime amongst some folks – but it does leave us wondering why the person in question was removed from the pic that day but not on other days – really makes you wonder how the mind works when dementia starts interfering.
Take Care
Dementia and alzheimers folks should be kept separate from others in my opinion. The USA needs to build homes just for dementia and alzheimers sufferers only so that more special care could be given to them. Training lacks.
Yes , this is so true especially patients that are bedridden,, they should all be put on one hall that doors lock , so they are protected from others who could hurt them are steal from them ..
As an LVN and RCFE administrator, I have found the best procedure to follow is to make one person responsible to assure that glasses, hearing aids and dentures are properly handled. All items should be stamped /labeled with identifying marks. At bedtime, these items need to be removed, dentures cleaned and placed to soak, hearing aid batteries removed and aids placed in storage pouch, and glasses cleaned and placed in a case. After the previous steps are followed, the steps need to be checked off in a log book, with the caregiver’s initials. In the AM, the caregiver should find all items in their proper place, then initial the log when all items have been returned to the Resident. Any missing items need to be reported to the Supervisor immediately.
Great advice. Some workers are very caring but others just don’t care as they don’t clean up the dining area after each meal and let ladies sit in urine soaked clothing for too long. They don’t change diapers soon enough and then the poor folks end up with an urinary tract infection. Not good as sometimes a person could oass away.
Staff just do not care. The patient is just an object. They have no empathy for the patient. They as staff are not acountable for lost items. I look after an old lady in a home and i am subjected t the same problems. I work in the dental industry and see many cases of lost dentures
I work as a psychologist in longterm nursing facilities. Unfortunately this is a common problem that is often ignored by staff and it is up to the patient or their family to address the issue. Sometimes patient’s are not capable of advocating for themselves and it does help for family to step in to address the issue. I am glad your mother has you.
I am an administrator of a nursing home and the question is when do families become responsible..? Nursing homes are paid to provide direct care of 2.80 a day of direct care. This includes all meals, medication administration, etc. If your family member needs more hours of care per day then consider hiring a sitter. When one admits to a facility it is not an end all to all problems. Again you are paying for certain aspects of care and not paying for 24 hour a day 1:1 attention. Consider having realistic expectations…
Wow! Your an administrator? I would not want my loved one attending your facility. Answering this question in the manner you stated shows that your attitude toward other issues would also flippant. This is a difficult experience for a family to deal with and you seem to have little compassion or understanding toward the families that deal with this on a daily basis or an understanding of how to solve the problem. I would say your facility needs a new administrator with a compassionate attitude and a “let’s solve problems- not add to the dysfunction”.
Exactly
You are not alone and the reason I found your post is that we are having the same type of problem with my 88 year old Father in-law.
Glasses lost, we went to dollar tree to by him 5 and hid the rest.
His teeth have not gone missing YET.
I am trying to discover a solution for his missing clothes.
He is in Ohio and my husband and I spent 4 months getting him set up in a nursing home.
We bought him 7 comfy pants, shirts and socks and white t shirts.
I tagged everyone of them
With a washable sticker and we go back and he is in a red t shirt with a beer advertisement.
So, funny not funny, he is a Babtist and never had a drop of alcohol in his life and he di not realize he was advertising something that he rejected as a young man.
I am looking forward to reading on to some solutions
My mother has lost things of little value in her nursing home but the day she received her new expensive phone for hearing and vision impaired one of the staff dropped it on the ground and it does not work. It took a week to have it delivered so no contact in a week, now I have to purchase another phone. Zero accountability and everyone passes the buck. No one sees anything or reports anything. Awful!!!
Yes, theft and dysempathic administration are, apparently usual and customary in this industry. My family member had half her clothing stolen at once. We have a good idea who did it but NH always has security cameras “turned to video a different hallway”. Convenient. Staff blamed my family member suggesting she took half her clothes (7dresses) out of her room and hid them somewhere She has PD and is wheelchair bound. She is not able to carry that much.
*Since I have, at times, been adamant about her basic care, some CNAs are resentful. A couple of them would take her possessions and hide her possessions as retaliation for our complaints.
about them. Hiding a resident’s possessions is THEFT! (at least in Illinois)
So, if you are willing to deal with retaliation, you can try to file a police report. Since Long Term Care Ombudsman seems to, at best, try being a mediator, perhaps two or three people having such 0problems can contact the State Attorney General.
This is a for profit industry. The fewer staff, the more profit. Ownership sets up separate businesses which they own and make their NH do business with. Owners can easily mark up good and services these businesses sell to these NHs to 50% more than other companies would charge. Of course the NH owners pocket the excessive profits instead of having their nursing homes hire better staff.
The Attorney General’s office should investigate as a deceptive business practice. You can ask AG’s office.
Also, you might offer a monetary award for the return of the glasses, teeth and hearing aid. Write up your loved ones story and ask a reporter to consider looking into the matter or publishing your letter to the editor as of public interest.
I share your comment Deborah…unfortunately I am seeing that this attitude does exist in long term care homes…we can only hope and pray that none of our loved ones end up in her home…
I live in an assisted living facility and the house keeper is always going through the drawers and closet in my room. Isn’t this illegal? Carol Kopenhaver
Care home administration likes things the way they are. The nurse cliques run everything including medical ‘care’ and there is no accountability. Laws don’t seem to matter, and there is no accountability. Watching my mom suffer, the unending confusion and communication problems have deeply affected my life. It’s a really bad situation in Canada, it might be our personal future reality and badly needs to (and could) change with federal help.
Thank you Deborah! Very well said! Accountability is seriously lacking here. Just because they’re old and helpless that doesn’t mean they don’t have personal stuff that’s important to them. They have rights too. I think you have become desensitized and it may be time for you to seek a new career path.
I agree with you Deborah….I would hate for any of my elderly loved ones to be in a facility that has a person like the “Administrator”.
The staff are stealing the clothes or throwing them away.
I totally agree with you! I am crazy trying to figure out where things disappear to!
I totally agree with you Deborah….if this is the attitude of all administrators, it certainly explains why things go missing and no one cares….she needs to get another job…and let someone with some compassion take hers…
Yes, very sad-that comment from an Administrator. My God.
I agree
I work as a waitress in an assisted living facility and this happens quite often. Many residents will forget a purse on the back of a chair or a coffee cup on the table. Some days even a stack of mail on the counter. As employees there we are required to put them away until we see them again. Sometimes nobody claims them unless we know who something belongs to which in a majority of the cases we know. But my job is different tasks than the caregivers and housekeepers who get accused quite often of taking things when items are simply in the laundry or maybe misplaced. I have noticed before someone leave their dentures or hearing aid on a plate or tray an it has gotten almost thrown out unless noticed. So it can be a number of things. Others have simply walked away with someone elses walker or cane due to bad eyesight. So many look the same. I recently have been accused of stealing because I went to someones room an found their misplaced purse an although they were grateful other employees assumed I had it the whole time. So it is definitely a sticky subject. We can never be to careful.
I can totally understand the aspect of one misplaceing something or forgetting it. But in my situation my fiance’ placed a plastic bag ( she uses them for her version of a purse).with her money, food stamp card and her SSI benefits debit card in the top drawer of the dresser thats next to her bed. then layed down to take a nap. She placed her wheelchair by the bed and up against the dresser, when she woke up it was gone. She uses a wheelchare because she had her leg amputated below the knee and is there for physical therapy. The only thing she suffers with is a disorder called Agoraphobia…an anxiety disorder. And go figure NOone can understand where it went. She tried to ask the housekeeper if she had seen it and she was met with a quick no and the housekeeper ducked back into the room real quick, definatly not showing any signs of innocence.
I live in an assisted living facility and the house keeper is always going through the drawers and closet in my room. Isn’t this illegal? Carol Kopenhaver
Deb, I found this old blog and wish to commend you on your response. Its 2020 and I’m looking for answers before going after a nursing home for destruction of personal property, hearing aids. The staff accidentally threw the $3600 hearing aids in the trash during shift changes. They deny any liability but I contest. Not sure how I can receive your reply but do you have any advise? Hearing aids formby mom have been an issue during her 3 years at the nursing home and I have always paid to have them repaired or replace when lost but this is the first time that it’s been the fault of the staff. I’m in the state of Rhode Island.
Thanks
your so right, I retired as a director of the third largest health care provider in California having numerous hospitals and outpatient services, how could any person educated or not say such a ignorant heartless comment and having missed what working with a population that has issues of taking care of themselves and there needs, as you said they need a new administrator and clean house with other staff that follow her mindset. working with the elderly is never a 8 to 5 job and set responsibilities. you should be able to step into there shoes and do everything for them they cant. if the administrator has aging parents someone should send them a copy and show them how they may be treated , Time to change the will, she is getting paid at her job now she will want paid taking care of her folks but has no one to answer to at home, I could see that getting real ugly and life changing to life threatening quick. parents need to be pro active now.
I just found out my brother’s cell phone of 9 months, was in the pants pocket of his jeans, which went thru the Nursing Home washing machine. The social worker said even though he has had many strokes, he was still capable of checking his pockets. Her example was that he still is able to write checks, so his memory is fine. I corrected her, as my other brother writes out the bills/checks and then he explains to my brother in the nursing home, what the checks are for and advises him to sign them. His finances are being paid down for Medicaid, so all his bill payments have to be accounted for. If he was fully responsible to handle his bills/fully write out checks, HE would be doing this instead of my older brother. The social worker is supposedly going to check with the Administration Dept. regarding this matter. As an option, the Social Worker suggested we buy a landline phone and pay the monthly charges. That would fine and dandy for now while the Nursing Home is under quarantine, but after that is lifted, I am positive my brother will want a cell phone to take outside of his room. We just don’t want to pay out money if the Nursing Home is responsible in this matter..
100% AGREE!!
Your expectations are unrealistic. It sounds like you do not receive honesty well and that’s probably why the nursing home is being cagey to you because you will freak out and only see things from your side of the argument. You posted in an open forum, you received feedback. You are not employed in LTC and you cannot understand what that world is actually like. Please spend some time researching what it is like to work in a nursing home and refer to Unifor’s time to care and maybe you will understand how things can be overlooked.
It doesn’t sound as though the writer has unrealistic expectations. She just expects that the staff will have protocols in place to make it possible that patients won’t repeatedly lose dentures, hearing aids, and other personal items. I don’t know how expensive nursing homes are in Canada, but in the part of the United States where I live, we pay approximately $10,000 a month for what is labeled as room and board. Though no one expects staff to spend the entire day with the patient, staff should notice if the patient is not wearing his/her teeth after lunch. This would make the process of finding dentures a little bit more fruitful, at times.
Yes, there will be losses. But in the nursing home where my mother is, one patient has lost her bottom dentures three times. To me, it would seem that the staff would realize after the first time that this woman is at risk for losing personal appliances and there would be protocols in place to ensure that she is periodically checked for missing dentures so when necessary, a search can be started quickly.
brings back memories. my mom “lost” hers when the staff thought it too much trouble to take care of them. when I took her to a local dentist for her partial replacement, management was furious. spent thousands of dollars replacing her clothes after they were stolen, time and time again. one of the laundry staff kept a log and between the two of us, we could prove theft….but mgt said: but “they” don’t make much money!!!! meaning the aides were underpaid and the culture permitted this as a wage supplement….tried to get an assemblyman to initiate legislation to apply penalties to nursing home administrators but it went nowhere….right now some of these places are hell. “residents” can’t hear (some one lost their hearing aid”, read (someone lost their glasses) or eat properly. The next thing is a diagnosis of deteriorating cognition because the resident doesn’t respond to someone ….
I agree with you, Deborah. What is the nursing homes responsibility? Aren’t they being paid to take care of the patient? Doesn’t that mean putting their belongings in the proper places? That administrator is awful like most administrators, only there to collect a paycheck. My father is currently in a nursing home in Texas and the administrator is a horrible monster, he will lie and say anything to back up his staff and he knows their wrong, but what they don’t know is what gos around does come back around and they’ll pay for how they mistreat the elderly. You can tell these are not people who know God. My fathers personal items get lost all the time or stolen.
Barbara, I am in agreement! I have replaced 5 blankets and 3 bedspreads in 3 months! They all had my mother’s name on them. I was told that they would find them or reimburse me for them but I haven’t been given anything.
I am now looking for some device (a tracker) that I can attach to trace loss belongings.
There is NO way I would even consider allowing my loved one to be in your care. It think based on your answer you need to find a new job where compassion, concern and overall patient care is NOT required!
Hear hear! Thank you Sherry! You are 100% right, a career change is warranted for the unconcerned administrator. These are humans you’re dealing with not cattle, ok?
You are getting paid well for those NON-REALISTIC EXPECTATION AND IF YOU CANNOT DO YOUR JOB PROPERLY…..YOU NEED TO BE REPORTED OVER AND OVER UNTIL IT CHANGES TO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ELDERLY ABUSE ORGANIZATIONS
Consider adequately training staff to deal with denture issues. The home security act states that you are responsible to make sure that teeth are in place for every meal to aid in chewing, incising to help with proper digestation. What about the lost dignity in appearance. Take action and take ownership.
Frustrated family member
Helga
I am an LPN student and currently working as a CCA in a nursing home. I am afraid training staff members won’t do a whole lot. I have found hearing aids on the floor while residents were sitting in chairs, I have found dentures in bed sheets, and have come to work after being three weeks on clinical to discover personal items missing.
One way I know works most of the time is if the nursing home invests in end tables that have locks on them. That way CCAs can store resident’s personal items such as dentures, jewelry, hearing aids, and glasses in the drawer section, while storing shoes, slippers, etc in the cupboard portion. The resident usually has a key as well as an extra copy in the nursing station.
Unfortunately most nursing homes won’t invest in new end tables because of money. Most of our problems have solutions involving money. It is frustrating for me as a CCA to advocate for things that would make life easier, safer, or better for residents. Most of our suggestions are dismissed or the nursing home does not have the funds to take on those suggestions. I find it frustrating to come into work and to discover someone’s personal items are missing, it causes a hassle. It would benefit everyone to have an end table with a lock on it and solve a lot of problems of things going missing. Be an advocate for your loved one and discuss with management the problems you have to look or solutions- because as a CCA- my words go nowhere.
I so appreciate your concern for residents and what needs to be done and not being indifferent. Keep doing what you’re doing! Thank you!!!
And sometimes as a family member, your words don’t go anywhere. Sometimes if you complain too much the nursing home will get rid of your family member to get rid of you.
You can complain to the State and they don’t help very much, The administrators do whatever they want and no one seems to care. No one listens. What do you do?
Thank you Miranda, it makes a lot of sense. My mother is in a long term nursing home. We are eight children and everyday there is one or two of us visiting. However, we are not always there to watch over her and her belongings and my mom leaves the room to go eat in the dining room, bath, sit outside, activities, so her room is unattended. Although she has adequate clothing enough for the week and its tagged and we do her laundry, it still gets stolen. One of my siblings saw a neighbor of my mom’s wearing one of her pj’s. We bought her personal items body wash, combs, brushes and even her glasses went missing, but mysteriously were returned. At least one of the personal support workers has retrieved it and will address it. I believe they know the resident (s) who go in other elders room and steal. I also believe that the residents are ill and most of them have dementia, Alzheimer, other illnesses and not purposely stealing. They most likely believe it’s theirs! I believe that there are some solutions to be made such as: locking bedroom doors when resident is out of their room, put locks on the closet, similar to baby locks for cupboards, built in safety deposit boxes similar to hotels but in MDF/wood material. Give spare keys to family and resident if they are capable of keeping keys on them. Allow families to help out by having a skilled person build a locking safety deposit box and installing locks. Put wide stop banners across the doorways held by Velcro or magnets to deter the wandering resident into other rooms. To do all this it is the responsibility for admin to be flexible and accommodating and it is our responsibility to take care of our loved ones even more than the seniors home, we can’t just dump our loved ones and expect someone else to take over! If we are not part of the solution then we are part of the problem!
Hi! I know this post is old but I’m currently going through the same thing. I feel so helpless with the situation. Like you said, they pass blame and can’t even pinpoint how long they’ve left her without her hearing aids. I didn’t even get a call. I usually come more often but hadn’t come for 10 days and this is what happens. I feel terrible and what’s worse is they put the responsibility on me. I wish there was something to do about it. But there isn’t…replace and suck it up and somehow trust these people.
You are a very cold hearted person. And very unrealistic yourself. What happened to compassion?
This is years after your response and I certainly hope that you read it. I would say that you should consider getting some more empathy and compassion. Our loved ones have had to give up almost everything upon entering a facility. Why should they be subject to theft and abuse of what little property they have left? My mother has had THOUSANDS of dollars worth of clothes, shoes, bedding, dentures, eyeglasses and personal property lost, damaged or stolen in the last 2 years. . We do her laundry every day, she lives in a private room and as such there is no need for her property to leave the room. We are STILL waiting for a response from out newest administrator. Perhaps if you and others in your position had more understanding and better management skills where you held yourself and others reporting to you accountable then families and residents wouldn’t be exposed to this abuse..because it IS abuse.
Having her items kept in one piece and not in someone else’s pocket or room is not a ‘care’ issue. This is a matter of being a humanitarian and helping others especially those you are entrusted to care for have the items they need and want. I know how you admins work, you care not about your residents but about the $ value associated with them! If you want to treat ppl like shit, Get a job as a dog walker and you can bask in all the shit u can handle
Lol Then when somebody is missing property then she can just say shit happens and she can even prove it Seriously though I am in a real validation right now and they watch my TV remote it still works though LOL and went to the Lroom and asked them to look for it and guess what that’s where it was It takes a second to check the sheets before you watch them not an hour of constant one on one care or direct care
I meant to say rehabilitation center and that they washed my remote
It sounds like you are part of a large problem in nursing homes! I would not want my loved ones to be where you work. I hope Karma comes back at you. It’s sad that you have no compassion for the elderly.
I would think you should start looking for solutions and not making excuses.
Tammy
Cold, uncaring no empathy “Administrator”. This is why nursing facilities have BAD reputation. Karma is a _____!
Oh my gosh this can’t be real you got to be kidding me i
turn the table on you lady or man please ignore this woman I Apologize for their in humanity and insensitivity and their response this is not even human or humane YOU do not need to be in this business at ALL let alone administrator of anything I have to go back and reread this to see if it’s true I cannot believe how insensitive and inhumane
It is administrators like you who make it hard for family members to cope. We are already spending a lot of money every month and cannot afford a sitter. As it is we have someone we pay for twice a month to help out. What is interesting is that when family members complain about lack of care and missing items we get told that it might be better if we found another place for our family member.
“Consider having realistic expectations..?” Who the hell can afford to hire a sitter when senior living communities charge the fortune that they do. I drive 40 minutes after work nearly every evening to check on my mom and am there on the weekends as well. The very first laundry done by the facility, she had a brand new pair of jeans, a pair of new socks, and several new towels missing, and this is one of the better rated facilities in the area. It is both unreasonably expensive, time-consuming and upsetting to have to replace her belongings. Far from being any kind of “end to all problems” admitting a parent to such a facility, it is the exorbitantly expensive beginning to a whole host of new ones. If there were any possible, safe way to keep my parent at home, I would. When do families become responsible? If I were any more responsible, I’d work there.
Are you kidding me? So you are basically implying that when a ltc resident isn’t accompanied by family or a paid caregiver that anything they own is free game? That’s nonsense!
Your response is absolutely astounding! You would be best to remember and realize what goes around comes around and I can only hope if you reach the age of your patients you end up in the same type of facility you currently overlook and receive the EXACT same treatment. I feel very sorry for you…….take a good look around your work place….that will be your future…….
I agree with your comment. My mother had several things missing from her room-usually the nice sweaters and newer tops-never the old ratty stuff. The same was true when my dad was in.
But his treatment was worse-he receive rough care in changing his undergarments and had to repeated go back to the hospital to have nephrostomy tubes replaced at our expense. Nursing home’s administrator’s comment-these things happen-Thirteen times in 15 months! I wish now I had brought suit against them.
sir i have a question, if a guest staying at retirement community residence who says his belongings such as his ring and money is missing from his room but later on found in his room in other drawer and also there are other residents who were also complaining about the same issue from past two weeks and you’re concerned. You have had a new PSW working with all the people who have complained of missing items.
What steps would you take to investigate this case? How would you handle the situation if you never find the missing items/money?
Nursing homes only count heads and money.
No wonder my grandmother lost her hearing aid and her teeth and her WEDDING BANDS and family rings . They TAKE them and then since the patient doesn’t remember anyway it’s okay for them to do so?! What would you call a realistic expectation cause I expect people to do what they get paid to do take care of seniors and instead they are taking advantage of them and stealing their stuff? Is that realistic enough for you?!
Wow, just wow. People like you are the problem. It is not an unrealistic expectation that our loved ones don’t have their damn teeth stolen in a rest home where they’re supposed to be receiving care. Way to pass the buck.
Just to make sure it’s clear my comment was to the administrator who has no business being an administrator. My grandmother is 104 years old and she was left naked locked in a bathroom thanking somebody was coming to give her a bath and they couldn’t find the key to get her out of the bathroom. I suppose my expectations are too damn High to expect that my hundred and four year old grandmother not be watching a bathroom by herself.
The nursing home is suppose to be stewards of the patient that includes their personal items. When things repeatedly go missing like clothing some one isn’t doing their job.
Wow. I am glad that no loved one of mine is in your Facility. Lost items can be found if the staff would start looking for items. So far in 7 months, my husband am has 3 articles of clothing missing and every day his roommate destroys his area of his sleeping area. The staff says there is nothing one can do. Oh yes there is. Move the destructive person to a different home where they are watched every second.
None @ the moment. Saved article but have not read it yet.
What about the groceries we purchase, the clothes we purchase? Theft of items from patient rooms! Are you saying we need to hire security guards? BS
I agree completely with your questions. My mother had ALL clothing stolen that she had when being admitted. They keep her glasses from her because she loses them … my mother is blind in one eye. They took all 12 non-skid socks from her which causes her to fall. When I would bring items back to the nurses’ station that were not my mother’s, the nurses were mad!?!
You sicken me administrator. You are inhumane & should be executed from your position IMMEDIATELY!!
So why don’t you “effers” tell family members about the loss of personal items UP FRONT, before they are admitted, so expensive items aren’t brought, so family treasures aren’t brought, so irreplaceable pictures aren’t brought?????????????? Administrators need to learn how to work with families and have realistic expectations of their lack of knowledge about a facility’s limitations. The employees of care facilities need to learn how to work with family members, too. For people supposedly trained to deal with de-escalating situations, I’ve only experienced those who trick, taunt, film unknowingly, and lie about incidents.
Realistic expectations? It shouldn’t take a sitter or 24/7 care to make sure important personal items aren’t being lost. Especially in her situation. If a resident is confused and maybe throwing their own things away that’s one thing, but sounds like her mother wouldn’t be able to do that even if she wanted to. You’re answer to this post is exactly what’s wrong with nursing homes. Nursing HOMES is their home for most, until they pass away. They shouldn’t be afraid of always losing stuff. I’ve done clinicals in nursing homes and one thing I’ve noticed is how lazy and careless staff can be, and it’s sad. Not ALL staff are like that but when you have 2 aids and 2 nurses per wing or floor or whatever said facility may call it, and you have one lazy aid or nurse, then just that one can lead to a number of problems or neglect.
My sister just recently passed and she was in a rehab/nursing facility 3 hours from home. Due to the virus everything is locked down so we are trying to get her clothes, cellphone, wallet, shoes, hygiene, glasses and some pictures shipped home. The administrator whom has already lied by telling us it had been shipped home and it was sitting in a closet there, said all her stuff fit in a box that’s 27″ tall, 15″ wide and 25″ deep and I know all her belongings will not fit in there. We, her family want them what can we do?
The problem is the administration,the director of nursing ,and the lazy CNA and other staff ,, they all think that the patients are a bother ,,that if family puts them there well they do not have to take care of them either ,, it’s horrible the way they think about our loved ones ,,, they all walk around saying it’s not their job and they don’t get paid enough to do it,, well by golly they were hired to do a job & they agreed to the pay & for the job ,,, THEY NEED TO DO THE JOB !! Our nursing homes are a disgrace and they need to be overhauled !!!
“when do families become responsible?” well they were responsible when they were seeking good quality care for their loved one at a hefty price that pays your salary!!!! Do you think families need to be at bedside daily, feeding, bathing, and checking to make sure dentures are replaced to bedside, clothing stays with the correct patient, personal articles are not stolen by staff? If this is what is needed by family then why are they in your facility? Obviously you are in the wrong career and for all those patients sake I hope you did/do not remain there!! You are not only a sad excuse for a healthcare worker but also as a human being!!
2.8 hours is probably a minimum mandate of law. If below standard is not reached there is likely something wrong with your care plans or staffing levels, training or supervisionm
§ 483.24 Quality of life.
Quality of life is a fundamental principle that applies to all care and services provided to facility residents. Each resident must receive and the facility must provide the necessary care and services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being, consistent with the resident’s comprehensive assessment and plan of care.
That as a snarky comment. You are at the top of the food chain and should maybe try to think of solutions, like stressing “customer service” to the young aids you hire. Customer service is almost nonexistant.
A 30+ yr nursing assistant..
Lol psychologist on long term ??!!???
i was a nurse in a nursing home and we engraved false teeth, eyeglasses,toothbrushes wheelchairs etc. we also used felt pens to mark their names on their clothing. everything was marked and inventoried on admitt & discharged. The one thing that still caused problems was when families bought diapers and brought them in, the CNA,s would grab them and use them on other patients so they didnt have to go to clothing storage and grab the cloth diapers. If anyone ever has any ideas please post.
Post, or pass around offer of, monetary award for information and
discipline or criminal action against the taker. It is pretty theft.(misdemeanor mostly)
If administrator won’t help and you dont fear retaliation write to licensure regulators in your area.
My mom has Alzheimer’s and is in a home in 8 months they’ve lost 2 pairs perscription glasses, broken hearing aids. They havebeen replaced twice once by insurance and once by the home, she’s had them for approx a week again, got a call today they’ve been missing since Tuesday. This is horrible for mom, she hears nothing so she has no communication, she must feel. Very lonely. Something needs to be done
9 out 10/% my clothing is gone for ever please tell me what I van get them back or else your segessatiom