Belongings in a care setting

[cymbid]

Looks like mum will be discharged to assess shortly and then probably on to a care home.

What do i need to arrange in way of clothes (what type ) labelling . (no idea about that)

What can and should she take in with her (and is it different in the assess facility) Ive a feeling it will be still a bit like a hospital ward.

Valuables? Money ? Yes/no ?

 

[JoannePat]

Hi @cymbid, I am sorry to hear that your mum is going into a CH, but it really is the best and safest place for her.

My father has just gone into care (this week) and although I am sure all CH's are slightly different, they asked me to pack 4 changes of clothes, nightwear, slippers, a fleecy type jacket, toiletries. NO valuables, no money. We have left a "float" with the CH manager in case they go to the local cafe.

I am sure the CH will advise you of everything they expect your mum to arrive with.

We also sent my dad in with enough medication for the next couple of weeks.

Good luck and sending hugs,

Jxx

 

[Kevinl]

You will have check with the home, it does vary. Some ask for a payment for Personal Expense Allowance PEA) just a few pounds so there's some money for a few treats, it all gets accounted for, in my experience, every penny.
Clothes are an issue, it's an industrial laundry but the staff always seemed concerned about getting the right clothes back to the right resident not an easy job.
Take your guidance from them, they can't lock someone in their room so anyone who is chair/bed bound is vulnerable to other mobile residents going on and taking things.
Nothing of value either in or of itself or sentimentally valuable would be my advise.
Photos of family and happy times can be copies and the staff will recognise if they turn up in the wrong room.
Room or ward sharing isn't too common past a certain stage, care home maybe, nursing home not in my experience, just my experience can't say it doesn't happen. K

 

[nitram]

I found this type of labelling the best, may not have been this make as there many similar. For socks I used permanent marker on the soles.
If D2A don't label too much , some care homes have a preferred position for label.

 

[cymbid]

I found this type of labelling the best, may not have been this make as there many similar. For socks I used permanent marker on the soles.
If D2A don't label too much , some care homes have a preferred position for label.

thankyou for that link

 

[SAP]

Label absolutely everything and don’t send in anything that is in the least bit valuable.

 

[jugglingmum]

My mum's care home did the labelling but most don't.

Don't send original photos but copies.

I chose to leave my mum's wedding ring on, some people make copies. Very easy to take off and put down without being aware of what they've done.

For care home not assessment I had large canvases printed one with all 4 grandchildren on (labelled with names ages and which of her children they belonged to) and also a smaller photo from her wedding day.

 

[canary]

When mum moved into her care home I used the labels that nitram linked to and they lasted the 3years that mum lived there. The home that OH goes to for respite, on the other hand, labels everything themselves, so do ask the home what their system is. And label absolutely everything you send in, not just clothes.

As everyone has said, don't send in anything valuable or of sentimental value, because things do go walkabout in dementia homes. Put copies of photos in photo frames that use plastic rather than glass

 

[cymbid]

When mum moved into her care home I used the labels that nitram linked to and they lasted the 3years that mum lived there. The home that OH goes to for respite, on the other hand, labels everything themselves, so do ask the home what their system is. And label absolutely everything you send in, not just clothes.

As everyone has said, don't send in anything valuable or of sentimental value, because things do go walkabout in dementia homes. Put copies of photos in photo frames that use plastic rather than glass

thankyou

 

[StressedDaughter]

I used the old fashioned school name tapes on everything - takes ages. They need stitching vertically on socks so the stretch is not affected. Mum hasn’t lost a thing and the laundry staff comment on how organised it is. I used sticky labels for hairbrush, electric razor, toiletries, notebooks and her calendar etc
Other residents do wander in to each others rooms so avoid any valuables. Mums contract says no jewellery- she has kept her wedding rings as has most of the residents. If they go, they go.
Clothing needs to be able to be laundered easily as they are doing too much laundry to mess about.

 

[My Mum's Daughter]

As the washing is done daily, 4-5 sets of clothes will be enough. As the weather is unpredictable, I'd send Summer tops and cardigans. 3-4 nighties or pjs should be enough, plus a dressing gown. Slippers, a pair of shoes and sandals but realistically, the slippers were worn unless we went out. All of these should be labelled.

I took towels and brought them straight back home.

Plenty of knickers but I just wrote her room number on these.

I provided toiletries but these were never labelled. A bar of her favourite chocolate, some biscuits and a bottle of squash.

Took the TV, a care home licence is a few pounds a year, radio went in but was never used.

We also took in things to make the room homely, photos, own cushion, a throw, new duvet covers, stuff like that. Thought a pens and a few blank birthday cards might be useful; I used the pens and the cards were a waste of time.

For the office-
A month's supply of meds at the request of the home.
Hearing aid batteries
I put in £100 at a time but Mum was permanent, temporary I'd have given £50. Residents usually have to pay for their toenails to be cut, Mum liked to have her hair done so the majority of the money went on these.
For insurance purposes, we were asked for a list of everything that we'd brought in. If you need to do this, be sensible; would you claim for a missing shower gel? Probably not!

If Mum wears hearing aids, mark case with her initials. Specs often go missing so I bought some slide on charms from the local optician. It's far easier to say that Mum's missing glasses have a white rabbit on the arm than be faced with a box of ownerless specs that all look very similar.

Mum wore her rings as I didn't have the heart to remove them. These were declared for the insurance and were the only things that we photographed. When Mum removed them and threw then on the floor, they were returned to me.

 

[nitram]

Specs often go missing

Can be identified using heat shrink tubing on the temples.
Shrink ratio not stated so trial and error needed, probably around 2 or 3 to 1.
If hairdryer not hot enough hold at side of candle or lighter flame.

 

[Sarasa]

Check with the care home. Both the ones my mum was in labelled clothes but had a slightly different system. The first home had a float that I kept topped up, the second home was all inclusive, but mum was much less capable by then and I don't know if they would have asked for money if she had been able to go out on trips.
Don't send in anything valuable, as with the best will in the world, things go walkabout.

 

[My Mum's Daughter]

@nitram I once ended up in the opticians with a handful of glasses and no idea which was Mum's. They can often tell by the serial number but the rabbit was so much easier!

 

[canary]

Don't forget that if you miss something out, she needs more of something than you realised or you think of something else that she might like, you can always take it in later. Nothing is set in stone

 

[My Mum's Daughter]

Don't forget that if you miss something out, she needs more of something than you realised or you think of something else that she might like, you can always take it in later. Nothing is set in stone

And this is when I discovered that Mum didn't need 7 pairs of sandals and a similar amount of coats. I took so much in that I'm surprised that her wardrobe took the strain!

 

[SMBeach]

Looks like mum will be discharged to assess shortly and then probably on to a care home.

What do i need to arrange in way of clothes (what type ) labelling . (no idea about that)

What can and should she take in with her (and is it different in the assess facility) Ive a feeling it will be still a bit like a hospital ward.

Valuables? Money ? Yes/no ?

I probably took in way too many clothes for dad’s care home. I found packing someone’s life/wardrobe into one suitcase to be very difficult. Dad had so many lovely items of clothing that I felt I couldn’t just leave them behind (but I had to). I took in about 9 or 10 pairs of trousers. Loads of shirts and t shirts/vests, etc. outdoor coats. Wellies. Shoes. Trainers. Slippers x2. His mobile phone and his digital screen for video calling. Dad had fleecy pyjama bottoms. All shrunk to child size from the hit temperature laundry wash. I used a combination of stick labels and iron on labels and also used permanent laundry pens and marker lens where I could as I suspect labels become faded and worn or come off. Dad’s paintings that he did himself I got put up into his wall. I dint like that residents wander into rooms. I really wish they’d design doors as stable doors so the door can be part open to avoid isolation but locked with a bolt inside might be enough to avoid that. One lady at dad’s care home actually bolts through the door opening it wide open at speed and almost runs into his bed. Then no staff appear to remove the person. It’s quite frightening. So Definately no valuables. I’d label pens, books, phones, basically everything. Dads care home have a personal allowance bank account. His care home provide the TVs. Take in books, puzzles etc to occupy the mind.