AFTER THE FACT

SOME INFORMATION  Fill out a missing item report and give one
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE
copy  to  the  resident’s  family.
FAMILIES OF YOUR RESIDENTS
 Keep a log at each nurses station for families
to report and note missing items.
 Remind family to continually update the
inventory list.  Call police to show the missing item is taken
 Let family and residents know that the seriously.
facility safe is available for use.  Discharge any employee guilty of theft
 Talk to the resident and family about the immediately.
Patient Trust Account for money for
 Use dye on (planted) money to stain hands,
resident’s  personal  use,  such  as  beauty  
when money is stolen. SUGGESTIONS TO
parlor and outings.
 Alert and consult facility attorney when REDUCE LOSS AND
 Suggest that expensive real jewelry be
necessary and when asking employees to
placed in the safe, kept safe at home, THEFT
and have either a costume jewelry take a lie detector test.
WITHIN LONG TERM
replacement or a reproduction made of  Continually compile statistics to note ration
the original. CARE FACILITIES
of articles permanently lost versus those
 Ask family to provide a small container found. This will help monitor loss and theft
to hold dentures, glasses, hearing aids, situations.
etc., if the facility does not have
containers available.
 Remind  family  that  their  homeowner’s               How to Protect the
insurance policy could possibly provide loss Personal Property of
 Provide mesh laundry bags for small and theft protection within a nursing facility.
items. Residents
Notes: As in any business with posted signs
 Remind family to inquire about
saying  “Not  responsible  for  lost  or  stolen  items”  
insurance policy to cover loss and theft,
perhaps  through  their  homeowner’s  
the claimant has the right to complain about and
to report theft. Your District LongTerm
policy.
Care Ombudsman
 Provide the family with the staff loss
and  theft  coordinator’s  name  and               Your Agency Name
facility number. Pamphlet created by the Nursing Home Ombudsman Address
Agency of the Bluegrass, Inc. with funding provided by city, KY zip
 Provide a method of reporting loss and
the Blue Grass Community Foundation phone number
theft when the coordinator is
We bsite
unavailable.
 SUGGESTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION
Residents of nursing homes have little to
remind them of home. Most live two or three  Require all staff to help reduce problems.
 Ask the police department to check the facility for Have kitchen and dining room staff scan
to a room and have only a small night stand, any security problems. Schedule them to dinner trays; have laundry staff check pockets
bureau, and closet to hold their personal routinely give training on loss and theft and hampers; use housekeeping staff to check
possessions. This lack of space requires a prevention. Ask then to help identify and mark floors, waste baskets, trash cans, and closets.
resident to pare down belongings and exposes important facility and resident items. (Using transparent trash liners helps.)
them to the potential for having their things
 Install a surveillance system.  Remind staff that residents have little in the
lost or stolen. Few facilities routinely provide
residents with a space where they can lock and  Screen potential employees. way of personal items, so any loss effects both
secure treasured items to prevent loss and the  resident’s  emotional  and  physical  well    
 Protect  facility  property  by  securing  TV’s  or  other   being.
theft. important furniture or items.
To clarify terms used in these suggestions, the  Do  not  allow  staff  to  take  one  resident’s              
 Develop a loss and theft policy; make sure it is possessions for another resident without
following definitions are applied: followed and enforced by all staff members. permission.
Loss: Misplacement (temporary or  Occasionally use facility newsletter to heighten  Involve residents through their Resident
permanent)  of  a  resident’s  possessions.    This                   loss and theft awareness. Council to help promote loss and theft
definition includes misappropriation of a
 Provide a secure box or drawer for residents prevention.
resident’s  possessions  by  a  mentally  impaired  
resident. personal use.  Make sure all loss and theft situations are
 Have  a  quarterly  ”Claim  Days”  for  unclaimed  and   documented. Post notices at nurses stations
Theft: An  intentional  taking  of  a  resident’s  
unmarked item retrieval. so staff can keep an eye out for the missing
possession by another for personal use or sale.
item. Review records quarterly to identify any
Loss or theft can occur in five different ways:  Hold in-service training on a regular basis to trends.
show that theft does matter and is a problem for
Staff to resident; family to resident; visitor to
all concerned when it occurs.  Include any missing items in the facility daily
resident; resident to resident; and resident to reports.
self.  Train staff to report any employee who steals.
 Stock indelible markers at the nurses station
Incidents involving resident to resident or  Demonstrate high regard for all personal property available  to  write  names  on  resident’s  clothing  
resident to self are often more easily solved. A by not allowing staff to borrow from residents. and personal items if not already done by
resident’s  dementia  and  forgetfulness  may   family or resident prior to entering the facility.
 Prohibit employees from accepting any gifts from
lead to lost (misplaced) items, which can
residents  without  their  supervisor’s  knowledge.  Fasten cupboards and closets at non-
usually be found through searches of the
 Distribute Loss and Theft Brochure to incoming traditional heights to lessen chances of
surrounding area. Incidents involving staff,
residents. confused residents locating latches and
family, or visitors are more difficult to resolve.
rummaging  through  other  resident’s                        
This brochure can be shared through resident  Appoint a staff member as the coordinator for any belongings.
and family council meetings and staff training. loss and theft problems. Make sure the name is
posted in visible areas for the family members  Make  sure  the  resident’s  inventory  list  is          
We hope that the ideas in the brochure will
and residents to see. obtained at entry.
help prevent the loss and theft of vulnerable
nursing  home  residents’  personal  possessions.  Use the inventory list at transfer to another
facility or when the resident is discharged.