Mother has dementia, psycosis. We think her clothes might be getting thrown into the trash bin instead of a non existing laundry bin in the home. I keep rebuying her clothes (this is going on month 4) and really getting expensive. I sew in my own labels in case some things are getting picked up by laundry. But things never get returned to her room. I’ve spoken to head nurse about this but nothing turns up. We can keep buying new clothes but eventually her money will run out. Who knew THIS would become the big problem. We also buy her her depends diapers although we were told they could provide. I don’t like to complain. But gee, it’s ridiculous. Today I will take in my own laundry bin and attempt to instruct my mother to place her dirty clothes in our basket and I’ll pick up every other day and wash her laundry myself. I don’t mind at all—- I do it now for my 96 yr old MIL who still lives in her own home. Does anyone else deal with such silliness??
You should talk to the head laundress. Her clothes may still be in the laundry if they can't be identified. Ask her the procedure. Does she have a roommate? Check her closet. Take pictures of everything you take in. For some reason Mom was always missing the same nightgown. They found it because of the picture I took.
If you decide to take Moms laundry home to need to put signs at the head of her bed and on her closet. "Family now doing wash. Please put in bin provided". I would check this often because I have found soiled clothes in Moms wash. If its soiled, it needs to be put in a plastic bag. Also, do not machine dry clothes that have been soiled. It brings the smells back up. I soaked in vinegar water before washing. Others have said there are products out there for this stuff.
she often has diarrhea and anything she will wear is worth paying for.
Hit the resale stores. The clothes will be far less expensive.
Also check the facility for the "lost and found" bin. When my Husband was in rehab I can not tell you how many of his items I found in an empty room where all "lost" items went. In another place where he was for Respite an entire closet was filled with "abandoned" clothes. Some lost/found other from residents that had passed on or moved on.
You may find some magically return.
Other residents can walk into your moms room and pick up a sweater and walk away with it. Your mom can do the same. There is no way for the staff to keep track of everyone's clothes. I founds some pictures of a family that I don't know hidden in my moms room under a seat cushion. She probably picked them up in someones room and took them.
I had a wreath on moms door and it disappeared! I walked around and peaked in other residents rooms and there it was on someone's dresser.
Don't let her have anything of any value...not even name brand clothing. A locked closet really does help.
Be glad it is clothing and not dentures and eyeglasses that have gone walkabout!
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