Care home/Nursing home.

[ummmm]

Are care/nursing home staff allowed to accept cash from patients?

[buildersmate]

What like bribes, you mean, to get extra/better food?

[ummmm]

No...lol.

Cash for Christmas....

[RATTER15]

Yes they are but it often against company policy, where I work we can accept small gifts but we must note exactly why and where and how much, this information is then kept on file.

[dzug2]

No they are not.

A tin of eg choccies to share amongst all staff would be acceptable but accepting individual gifts would normally be a sackable offence

[RATTER15]

I think it would be a great shame if these people were not permitted to show a little appreciation by means of a gift.

[ummmm]

They get gifts. The gifts and cards have already been purchased, the same as every year.

My Aunt said a few months back that she thought one of the staff has hinted to my Grandad about a Christmas bonus. He's just withdrew £100 each for them (there are 8 of them). That's fine if it was his idea, not so fine if he's been made to think he has to.

[buildersmate]

"Cash for Christmas...."
Ah, as I said then, bribes.
The way an organisation should operate is to have a 'hospitality' book where any gift is recorded tied to a simple policy that says what is done to the gifts. In the most recent organisation where I introduced such a policy we agreed to keep the gifts centrally then either share between all staff (as often happens with tips) or draw lots for tangibles such as bottles of wine.

[woofgang]

My external experience is that it depends on what the care home policy is. Usually (not always) gifts of nominal value would be allowed but usually need to be reported. It can be a great source of pleasure for residents to give gifts and it would be a shame IMO to stop it. In certain circs (thinking of folk with demetia here) then VERY small cash gifts could be acceptable as the patient might just want to give what they have and be very distressed if it was refused. By very small, I am thinking no more than £1 and not solicited. Sensible staff IMO would accept the gift, tell the manager, then slip it back into the residents cash stash.

[woofgang]

Me I think that hinted or not, 100 quid is way excessive and probably against their work policy.

[ummmm]

Up until now he put £5 in a card and bought them a bottle of wine and box of chocolates, each.

[Robinia]

I think £100 is way too excessive too. My brother bought them all a box of chocs. It was quite a sight with us pushing him through the town in his wheelchair and him hidden behind all the boxes.

[ummmm]

I probably should say, this will be his first Christmas in a nursing home. Before now he had carers come to his house.

[Robinia]

In that case if he really wants to part with that much could you suggest he gave it to the home's fund for equipment/days out/entertainment etc?

[mk1975]

i feel that £100 per person is ridiculous. the staff there are already paid to look after the residents. whats wrong with a £5 gift or box of chocolates. the important thing is to show that you appreciate them.

[yogi-bear]

Hi ummmm,

I think £800 is way too excessive for your lovely Grandad to give to the care home/nursing home workers as a Christmas bonus ......they will then expect that every year, which is not fair to Grandad.......a box of chocolates and perhaps a £10 one4all gift card ( they will have a choice of goods from loads of retailers then ) from the Post Office seems about appropriate.

Hope you, and all your lovely family have a wonderful Christmas, yummy mummy. :0) x
http://www.one4allgiftcard.co.uk/

[RATTER15]

I would say certainly no more than £5.00. I know a few of my ladies would love to give more but we would not be permitted to accept this, especially from the Dementia sufferers.

[maclarencat]

I think you should not let him give that amount it is way too much. Apart from the fact that it could be seen as trying to curry favour with the staff , the other residents who could not afford that sort of money would either feel bad because they cant do it or feel that he was trying to be a bit too flash. Please try and talk him out of it £5 to each one is plenty. At the home my son runs staff are not allowed to accept gifts for this reason but they do have a little box on the reception that people can put a donation in towards trips out etc.

[ummmm]

Thanks Yogi ;-) xx

He doesn't suffer from dementia Ratter. He's as sharp as a pin most of the time. He has mentioned this Christmas bonus quite a few times over the last few months and that's why my Aunt thinks it might have been hinted at. He pays for his care himself.

[ummmm]

He's bed bound so the only way other residents would know about it is if the staff told them. When I said he's just withdrew the money...I meant he's withdrew it very recently and it's been given to the staff already. My Aunt just told me about it this morning....

So, the gifts should be recorded somewhere?

[bednobs]

they might be, but all anyone has to say is "no he didn't give me anything" when asked i suppose