Mom is 90 yrs old in long term care. This is our first holiday of Christmas & Thanksgiving. What is good to give to staff to show appreciation. When mom first arrived after a few weeks I gave a 2 pound box of nice chocolates to nurses station. A friend told me I should give fruit. Different staff & shifts but trying to come up with something inexpensive but nice. Any ideas. What have others done during holidays?
Always a hit!
For my mothers private paid caregiver I would get the same type of card - write a personalized message and tuck a gift card for Barns and Nobel inside. She was a avid reader.
My son has three paid “companions”. One girl and two guys. All of them are in their twenties and incredibly hip and cool in the hippy/cool style unique to Oregon’s young adults. The guys each get a case of an Oregon micro-brew beer - holiday edition. The girl gets something more unique and personal as I’ve known her since she was about 6 yrs old. Last year she got a set of hand painted Christmas desert plates and a gift cert to a popular hippy-cool bakery.
Also - since Rainman usually has lunch out with these companions on their daily outings - the outing they are with him closest to Christmas, I send enough money for Rainman to pay to take them somewhere nice for lunch. It’s a win-win as Rainman loves that too.
I do tend to spoil Rainmans caregivers as they are all outstanding and I know how fortunate I am to have them. I want them to know - that I know that.
Please, please, please remember all 3 shifts.
So often only Day shift would get the goodies. We'd see the crumbs on the empty tray when we'd come on duty at 11 pm :(
Try to guesstimate how many staff members for 24 hours and buy or bake accordingly. Thanks for thinking of them.
P.S. The dollar store or 99cent store have lots of little things for the holidays if you'd want to attach something to a nice chocolate bar as a personal gift to everyone.
RM, your concept of allowing Rainman to pay for a meal is very thoughtful and insightful. Too often we forget how much the people we care for have lost in terms of self respect and the ability to reach out and help others. I'm going to integrate your concept into my own plans, if you don't mind, It's a type of enabling self esteem.
Everyone else, really good ideas. I hadn't thought about the slicing of baked goods.
Usually I've brought bagels and donuts, which go quickly despite the fact that "everyone" is typically on a diet...well, I guess except for donuts.
Good point as well about shifts; I guess the next time I bring something I'll separate the goodies so that each shift has some.
I'm afraid that would run into quite a sizable amount of money.
Just counting the workers in Labmom's mother's wing in the nursing home could be more than 10 people per shift that assist her. Then count the rest on the other 2 shifts.
A modest cash gift would be $5 and the card costs $1 =$6. times 30 staff members =$180.! 🤑
Probably too pricey for most folks but a nice thought.
Also, all the hospitals and institutions I worked for had a rule for their employees NOT to accept money as a gift. You would need to check the policy of the institution before hand.