Housekeeping at the retirement home where my mother is living tells her that they will not dispose of her incontinence garbage. I have taken her garbage out before and the garbage bins are across the parking lot and are approximately my height. It would be very dangerous for someone with bad balance and brittle bones to attempt to throw garbage in those containers. I know I could do it for her, but there would be times I couldn't and I worry she would try to do it herself.
Is it appropriate for housekeeping to have such a rule?
With my Mom, I had a med size trash can with a flip top lid. I lined it with a trash bag. She wore pull ups, so i rolled them up and thru in the trash can. (I had a deodorant disk stuck to the inside of the lid. Once the can was full, I threw the bag in with my trash. Those diaper genies are neat and maybe a good idea.
It doesn't make any sense that they would pick and choose what garbage is being removed by housekeeping.
One thing that I did with my dad was to have him put his used briefs in a plastic bag and tie it, then place it in the trash can that had a bag, that way it was contained and did not smell up his room if it didn't get taken out that day. This was also a courtesy to the people taking the trash out.
I personally think that the reason for housekeeping is to get rid of the issues that could benefit funky.
Anyhoo - my parents IL facility had the residents responsible for the disposal of their own trash. There were rooms at one end of the hall on every floor that had bins for recycling and a chute for dropping the rest of the garbage. The facility did a housekeeper cleaning once a week as a part of the rent. The housekeeper vacuumed and mopped but no garbage.
This same facility had a large AL wing. Residents living there had their garbage picked up every two hours - every day, all day and into the evening. It was a mandatory agreement for AL residents.
I suspect this rule was also a way for the staff to get in and check on the individual - making sure no one was laying on the floor, etc. Regardless, I liked the “rule” as I’m sure it was largely responsible for the place never having that awful ammonia smell so many old folks homes have. I have to admit I’d probably have been less enthusiastic about it - had I been the person having someone walk into my living space every two hours.
But hey, rules are rules...
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