Do assisted living facilities charge extra to dispose of incontinent briefs?

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mommycare Asked September 2017

Do assisted living facilities charge extra to dispose of incontinent briefs?

I have been hit with a new garbage emptying fee even though garbage emptying is included in the weekly housekeeping and the Director himself approved my mother's garbage can. At one time, he wanted my mother to have the can emptied 3 times a week which would have been a very high extra fee, I declined this service and said the weekly garbage emptying was sufficient, because she does not actually use the pads for toileting only for accident protection. The weekly housekeeping has been fine for over a year until today I got an email saying that they have been providing an additional garbage service by emptying the briefs and there will now be a charge. No official letter or policy update just an email saying pay or empty it ourselves. Isn’t garbage, garbage and they should be obligated to take out whatever is there once a week? He was well aware of my mom’s can and that it would contain briefs. This Director has been very antagonistic with me since his arrival last year and my refusal to add on services my mom does not need and a mix up where his accountant willfully, sent a bill to a wrong address even though she had the correct one and did not say anything for a whole year and I had to point out their error when it finally did come to light. Thank you for your help!

Assisted Living Financial Planning Incontinence

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score 0 · Answer 1

My moms AL did provide a once a week housekeeper as well - who vacuumed and changed linens - plus the garbage. If bedding needed changing more than twice a week they would charge extra for that. But it doesn't stick in my mind that it was a crazy high amount - especially as they laundered the bedding as well.

The 2-3 times daily garbage rounds were - I think - to keep down the odor and germs of soiled disposable underwear. They also used it as a means to check in on the residents that didn't leave their rooms too often.

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score 0 · Answer 2

Thank you Countrymouse! From the email, the new charge is based on the contents. I am not sure that the schedule of charges specifies what contents will and won't be emptied during weekly housekeeping. The Director, however, approved my mother's waste can and was aware that briefs were to be discarded in it. The Accountant at this facility had been asked and informed no less than 5 times where the bills were to go. My mother wrote a letter explaining who was the new Power of Attorney and that the bills should be sent there. The Accountant questioned this and wanted documentation from the POA, she then questioned that documentation and further documentation was provided. The Accountant still continued to send the bills to the wrong address. We finally had a meeting and cleared it up, however, it was stated at the meeting that she should have followed my mother's request made a year earlier. No further documentation was provided at the meeting except me filling out a generic form to provide the billing address which was already on file. Sounds willful to me, I am okay if you have another name for it.

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score 0 · Answer 3

Thank you Rainmom, Housekeeping at my mom's facility is once a week which includes garbage emptying. That is why this email surprised me.

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score 1 · Answer 4

Since this really is into the realm of utter cheese-paring nit-picking - and just when I thought nothing could startle me about what elders get charged for, too - let me be extra clear, please.

Is the additional charge being claimed for the frequency of bin-emptying? Or for the contents included in the bin (and how do they know, anyway, if the pads are unsoiled)? And what does it say about this in the ALF's schedule of charges?

Um, just by the way though. Accountants do not 'wilfully' misdirect bills. Carelessly, sloppily, annoyingly, sure. But not wilfully. Don't start thinking other people are out to get you just because you don't care for this pushy car salesman director.

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score 2 · Answer 5

My mothers AL facility emptied the garbage cans in all the rooms 2 or 3 times a day - and it was included in the base rent.

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Do assisted living facilities charge extra to dispose of incontinent briefs?

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