Holiday staff funds at AL / MC

RobinNicole

Hi all,

I received an email about the employee holiday donation fund.  The facility my mom is in does not allow tipping and so does this instead.

What is appropriate?   I know the fees for the facility are expensive but this is for the staff (below the director) and I know they work hard and are good to my mom.  

Thanks for any thoughts.

Jo C.

Hello Robin; do you know what they do with the dontion fund?   Do they split it up between all employees at the facility, or only the "hands-on" patient care aides?  Or; do they use the fund to have a Christmas party for the staff?

In my LOs facility, there was a policy for no monetary gifts to staff; and it was a strict policy.  What I did each year was to find out the date of their staff Christmas party.  At the party, there was a drawing with tickets for prizes from the facility for all of the staff from all shifts; even those who could not go to the party.

I purchased a beautiful Christmas gift bag, put in a box of good quality chocolate candy BUT also put in a thank you card with a $100 bill and wrapped a thin ribbon with a bow around the card envelope so it was seen as a gift and not accidentally thrown away.  I put no name on the gift, just a heartfelt thank you.  The only one who knew who sent that gift for the drawing was the DON as she had to take it to the party.

Well;  the DON said the party hooped and hollered and had such fun with it.  Did it each year and it was nice to know that someone who worked at the facility received the gift.  Wages at a care facility are not high, so money is always appreciated and this way, it was not giving a gift to a particular person so no policy violation.

I also brought a nice food gift for the entire unit to be shared.  I did that every once in awhile year round. 

J.

RobinNicole

Jo C

I love that!  What a creative idea!

This fund will be equally distributed to all “front line associates”. I don’t know if that includes the chef etc.  I can ask that.  I have brought treats to all the floors for Easter sake ( all individual bags of chocolates with thank you notes). and other times treats to her floor.  But unsure of what amount to do here.  They say this year they cannot do the regular holiday party for the employees but will do some other things.  

MacyRose

RobinNicole wrote:

Jo C

I love that!  What a creative idea!

This fund will be equally distributed to all “front line associates”. I don’t know if that includes the chef etc.  I can ask that.  I have brought treats to all the floors for Easter sake ( all individual bags of chocolates with thank you notes). and other times treats to her floor.  But unsure of what amount to do here.  They say this year they cannot do the regular holiday party for the employees but will do some other things.  

The amount you give should be commensurate with what you can afford and what you think makes sense.  A lot of people set a daily tip amount and multiply that for the year.  So, for example $2.50*365 days=$876.  If that is outside of your budget, do what you can afford. They are grateful for whatever you give.

M1

Thanks for starting this Robin, I've been wondering the same thing.  Great to get ideas about what works.

Quilting brings calm

When my MIL was in a small IL/AL facility, the recommended amount was that each resident give $10 for each employee.  In that case, a total of $150 per resident.  There were only 14 residents, and 15 employees. 

My parents’ Resident Council wants to do a similar type thing this year.  They are not suggesting an amount, leaving participation and amount up to the resident.  I believe there are about 20 employees, but there are 50 apartments, about 60 residents.  Central Illinois is not the type of place to tip $800 per resident. Nor should the employees expect to get  $600 each  ( $10 per resident per  employee).   I told my parents I would discuss it with them when I go see them on Tuesday.  I’m not sure they want to participate at all based on their attitude on the phone today, 

Here’s the annoying thing:  my parents’ monthly rent went up $250 a month November first on their move in anniversary.  $4799 for resident 1(6% increase every year ),   $750 for resident 2 ( no increase). Then the facility had the audacity today to present them with another increase of $383 ( 8% increase)  beginning Jan 1 due to inflation.  That’s a total of 14%.   

So I’m not overly charitable right at this moment given that they are seriously eating into my parents savings and I have no idea how many years they are going to live.  Added to that the fact that they gave  this information directly  to my parents rather than me and I have to explain the facts of life  for the 1000th time to my parents. It doesn’t matter what the cost is as this is the level of care they need.    It causes anxiety in my mom and paranoia ( you are stealing my money ) in my step-dad.

zauberflote

We gave gift cards, which isn't strictly cash, right?.....lol they were $25 I think, and I got some heartfelt hugs from the caregivers, so it must have been welcome.

MN Chickadee

I always did something around the holidays to show my appreciation. The staff work hard and are under paid and I wanted to show I appreciated them. And also they notice which family appreciates them and may show a little extra care and attention for your LO, it can be a two way street. I personally might be a little wary of a shared fund. It leaves room for doing irritating things with it, such as including management or using it ways that doesn't directly benefit those doing direct care. But if you like the place and trust its leaders you might go this direction. I did treats around Thanksgiving and/or in December. Usually a bag of goodies for the aides, nurse, activities person, culinary person, and housekeeper that had a combination of homemade cookies, store bought treats, and fruit. Some years I paid to have pizza or subs delivered for each shift. Another year I sent a couple gift boxes from Costco that had chocolates and treats so they could take home what they wanted. If money is tight, even a well written card to the staff or a small floral arrangement lets them know you care.

Jo C.

Should clarify that the facility Christmas Party I mentioned was done at the facility in  their large activity room that was closed and "decorated" for the Christmas party with food provided by the facilty administration as well as the door prizes for the drawing.

It is sometimes nice to be able to do something as a happy surprise; I also did other cash involvement at special times; especially for an amazing aide who did home care for quite some time, and asked my brother and two step-siblings to also donate which they did which made the giving even more "fun" for honoring the recipient.

It was hard not to give the hands-on aides a direct gift as ALL gifts were against facility policy; cash or no cash.  So; those food gifts to the entire unit were good.

When my LO died, there were two aides who had been very special to her who were with her for a couple of years.  I wanted to be able to say thank you not only with a beautiful card, but with a "gift," but there stood that dratted policy . . . so; I lied.  Gulp.  I told the DON that my mother had left a small bequest for each of the two aides, "in her will."  Well; the DON who was a dear person looked at me just slightly askance but gave me permission to give the two aides their "willed" gift.  I did that in private and it all worked out well as I stood there dissolved in tears which I had not expected to happen. By clearing things through the DON I did not place the aides at risk for violating a policy if someone found out and reported it. 

J.

RobinNicole

Thank you all for your ideas and sharing what you did.  I know everyone works so hard and they are great with my mom and she has settled into her new life.  Her friends and the staff have become like family to her.  We go there tomorrow as the facility is having their thanksgiving celebration where I might ask other families what they do. By the way what do the facilities do on the actual holiday if they celebrate on other days?  They did this for Labor Day picnic but that is not as big a holiday as Thanksgiving.  I suspect they will keep the residents on normal activities , and for my mom that will be fine, but there are some that may realize its actually the holiday.  Just curious

I will give to the fund (probably calculating a daily amount x her time there)  and I will also use the other ideas shared here for these Holliday and going forward.  I love the idea of surprising the staff with treats and ordering subs or pizza.  Because staff can be out, or even change if I do others treats during the year hopefully everyone gets some goodies and appreciation.  

This group is so helpful.  It’s such a blessing and relief to be able to ask questions and for advice.  Thank you all and wishing everyone strength, peace and love and joy (in whatever way you can ) this holiday season.