Saying thank you to Mum's care home... they've been extraordinary. Looking for ideas!!

[loveyouradvice]

Mum's care home have been truly extraordinary - the carers always cheerful and welcoming, mum happy and putting on weight, and they've even- once life calmed down a little - set up a system of one of the carers ringing me every week (or so) to tell me how she is doing and share stories from her daily life

On the covid front they've had eight cases now - five early on, all recovered, one discharged from hospital with it, and three since monthly testing introduced - all asymptomatic. Each time they lock down but otherwise we've been allowed garden visits under a gazebo which has been great.

There are around 70 staff there in all.

We've done a couple of "thank you presents" and I think it's time for another.... first time, we took in lots of Holland &Barrett bags of dried fruit, nuts, etc... second time, far less healthy, chocolate bars and packets of Minstrels, etc.....

I'd love some ideas for what next ... ideally spending around £80-100 with something for everyone.

I'd wanted to do something sweet smelling like hand cream or something, but prices all come up a bit high

What have you done? And if you are a carer, what would you appreciate???

Nice hand sanitizer? This works do non wreck your hands stuff?

Maybe also write a letter to the local paper or similar (and let know) - not spending but it would be appreciated

your mum's home sounds amazing. I love the idea of writing to the local paper or nominating them for an award of some kind. When MiL died after receiving 2.5 years of brilliant care in her nursing home we jointly, as an extended family, gave the staff £250 to put in their kitty for their staff do. This probably isn't appropriate since your DM is still alive and happy. So its a different sort of gift I suppose that you're after. But I do know that the staff were v appreciative of us thinking of their 'down time'.

We also used to do xmas hampers of prosecco and chocolates for the staff who were on duty on xmas day and boxing day so they could take something home from work on those special days. We checked with the manager who many staff needed to be bought for and spent accordingly. Lidl do nice half bottles of prosecco in case there are zillions of staff members!

My mother's nursing home would put any Christmas gifts into a raffle for the staff. Seems fair enough as, although we built up a relationship with some of them, they are all essential to the smooth running.

Cases of decent champagne were very welcome. Even for non drinkers, who could use them (and do save the cost of) as presents for friends and family.

Is there anyway that you could get something for the home? Something that the staff and residents would benefit from? A Bluetooth speaker or, if it’s a dementia home, something to help towards a “memory cafe” or sensory area.

One of the best received gifts in a local dementia home was a silver cross pram and weighted baby doll which has been very calming for some of the residents and well used. In another care home, they got a karaoke machine that’s been really loved by both staff and residents. Board games and movie projectors also go down well.

Most of my family are HCPs and they kindly get given lots of food gifts and alcohol which they don’t drink (Muslim) but anything that helps bring joy to their patients makes their job easier and more worthwhile. Seeing smiles on their residents faces and keeping up morale would really help, I think. Just my two cents!

NameChange that's so beautiful and something I'm going to take forward - there's a "Friends of the Home" I think which it would be good to hook up with and start doing these sorts of things as we move forward - Hoping Mum is going to be there a long time!!

TheoneandObi what a very lovely thing to do ... not surprised they appreciated it

And everyone else - thank you... so agree re hand sanitiser ... and prosecco at Xmas!

And love the idea of contacting the local press - Im going to take that forward too.