Nursing home gift protocol

[whatdoiknowanyway]

IABU possibly to post here but I don'tknow where else. There are topics for baby, toddler, teen etc but nothing for elderly parents.

My father has dementia and until earlier this year lived alone (but we did everything for him). He's been living in a local nursing home for some months now and his quality of life has improved immeasurably thanks to the home in general and 2 of his carers in particular.

Residents are not allowed to give gifts to the staff but families can and I'd like to do something appropriate at Christmas to express our appreciation for all they've done. But what is appropriate?

I have a feeling anything too big would be met with embarrassment and I probably couldn't afford anyway. But I want to make a nice gesture - not leave them feeling they've been palmed off with a 3 for 2 offer from Boots.

I'm thinking one gift for the team (tin of chocs maybe), something for the man carer and something for the woman carer. Neither drink so anything alcoholic is out.

I've seen a few posts from carers and hoped they might be able to give some ideas.
Or anyone with parents in a residential home - what do you do?

How about a massage voucher - we have a walk in back massage place near me which does vouchers for 10/15quid, so there might be something like that near you?

Also a card saying some of the comments you've made above..

The most thoughtful present i've received was luxury bubble bath, hand cream and a nice mug to use at work - It felt like the family who gave it to me had really had a good think what to give.
They also gave me a lovely card.

A tin of chocs for all the staff sounds like a great idea and I guarantee it will be much appreciated! Don't give anything too big to the 2 carers individually in case it makes them feel uncomfortable, maybe a gift voucher and a nice personal message in the card.

I think vouchers are really nice, and they can spend them in the sales, also with vouchers there is no guilt about spending on yourself.. (people will usually just put money in the bank iyswim)

Gift vouchers

I used to work in a Dementia care home, one xmas I had a lovely card which had such a heartfelt, sincere message in it. I still have it and sometimes read it when I have had a crap day at work ( I am a nurse). Words mean a lot in a nice card. say how you feel about the care they give your father.

Nice tea and coffee, they can take them home if they wish, or share them with their colleagues if they prefer. I second tiredemma a lovely heartfelt thank you in a card means a lot.

Thank you all - really reassuring comments and suggestions. These people are so good and I didn't want to detract from any positive message by giving the 'wrong' thing.

I am so pleased to hear that your dad is getting the care he needs. People who work in care homes are paid a pittance but the good ones are so so important to the well-being of people with dementia.

How about cinema vouchers?

I'm going to combine a couple of suggestions and go for a nice mug and some decent tea/small chocs each wrapped prettily. Plus the chocolates for the team. Hopefully that will be successful. Also the card - I'm encouraging my siblings to write cards too - I agree that's really important.

Thanks to everyone.

Whatdoiknow - everyone seems to be broke nowadays, so a gift voucher would be a lovely present - you could even make it for a local supermarket and say it's for their Christmas turkey!

Hi,

You will probaly need to ensure the gift is 'of token value', which most care providers tend to set at £5.00.

To be honet, a box of chocs and a letter saying how ood the care is to either thoe care organisation or Local authoruty (if ppropriate) would probably get the thumbs up from most of the staff/homes I work with :)

I once received a £10 gift voucher from a family. It was way more than I expected (not a prosperous background and hadn't expected a present!), it was brilliant! I went to Paris for the weekend later in the year and used the voucher to buy a disposable camera

The fact that you have bothered will be appreciated

We always liked 'nice' biscuits from families of our residents.

A really nice card with a little note inside would be a lovely gesture as well, address it to the manager with special reference to the team of carers who look after your dad.

Its these little things that help make the job so rewarding.

My dad is in a care home. We give a tin of chocs for staff to share. If you have more time, perhaps you could make shortbread?

Oops, forgot to add, the voucher was for Boots!

Supermarket might be a bit generic, and specific shop choice is a bit personal, unless you know they particularly like somewhere (when I left one job, they got me Fat Face vouchers because they knew it was my favourite but I couldn't afford to shop there iyswim)

John Lewis/Waitrose or M&S might be good, particularly if they are into home furnishing or nice food. Debenhams for someone who likes clothes, there's all the little designer concessions so quite a broad range...

When I was working on a hospital ward a family brought in a basket of fruit for the nursing staff - we LOVED it!
A little bunch of flowers for the main carers is nice too, I will never forget a bunch of snowdrops brought for me by the relative of a man who had recently died (bit teary thinking about it now!)

You sound lovely and they'll be so touched by cards that express your feelings. You could also write a letter to the manager praising the staff? nice for manager to get good news and lovely for staff to get the recognition.