Clothing

• At least seven outfits (dresses, pants, skirts, or tops).
• A larger supply of clothing if the resident requires more frequent changes due to incontinence or food spills.
• Comfortable clothing appropriate to the season.
• Clothing that is easy to do up and undo (zippers are preferred as Velcro can damage other items in the laundry).
• Clothing that is loose fitting.
• Cardigans rather than pullovers.
• Cozy fleece vests.
• Underwear is not needed if the person is incontinent.
• Many older women prefer undershirts to brassieres; if a bra is preferred a sports bra is ideal because it is stretchy and does not have hooks.
• Warm socks (no nylon, no tight tops).
• Avoid wool as it will shrink in the wash.

Comfortable and practical footwear is very important to walking safely and preventing falls. Please ensure the resident has shoes and slippers that are comfortable, supportive, fit properly, and are in good condition. It is important to check the condition of the soles or shoes on a regular basis. If you have any questions about footwear, please contact Therapy Services at your Care Home. Good footwear has the following features:

• non-slip surface and good shock absorption qualities;
• rubber soles;
• heel height of ½” to 1-½” high at the most;
• a wide-base heel for stability;
• laced shoes or shoes with Velcro closing; and
• are lightweight.

Broadmead Care provides disposable incontinence products including non-pull-up briefs and pads at no additional charge. Special order incontinence products such as pull-up briefs are charged to the resident.

During the admission process the resident’s clothing will be labelled by Broadmead Care. A one-time charge for marking resident clothing is paid at the time of admission.

It is very important that new clothing brought in after admission also gets labelled. The one-time charge for labelling at admission covers the cost of any subsequent labelling required. New clothing should be left at the nursing station, and staff will arrange for it to be labelled and returned to the resident’s room. If the article of clothing is a gift we ask that you remove the article from packaging before sending it for labelling, especially during high peak times like Christmas.

If a resident is missing clothing, please check the ‘unmarked clothing bag’ on the lodge’s laundry cart. If unmarked items have not been claimed after a two-week period, the items will be stored for a further six weeks, after which time they will be donated.

Clothing that cannot be marked or laundered will be returned to the primary family contact person. Broadmead Care is not responsible for lost or damaged clothing.

A personal laundry service for washable clothing is included in the monthly rent at no additional charge. Families may prefer to do the resident’s laundry at home and can make this arrangement with staff.

We do not recommend any materials sensitive to high temperatures, including polypropylene, nylon, 100% acrylic, wool, rayon, acetate, down or feather-filled clothing, pillows and duvets, personal handkerchiefs, personal towels, or bed linens. As well, materials with high cotton content may shrink or become misshapen over several washings.

• A seasonally appropriate coat is only required if resident goes out of doors.
• Exchange coats/jackets as seasons change to preserve cupboard space.

Special clothing such as a Veteran’s dress jacket should be kept at home and brought in for special occasions.

• An adaptive night gown is recommended; pyjamas are not recommended if the person is incontinent.
• A cozy housecoat.

General use soaps and shampoos are provided by Broadmead Care. Label all personal items, except clothing, with the resident’s name prior to admission. Personal toiletry articles are not provided, so please ensure you include:

• brush and/or comb;
• toothbrush, toothpaste, denture brush, or cleanser;
• electric razor;
• nail clippers; and,
• deodorant, lotion, and cosmetics.