Yuck!
I know that's a strange title this time. That's all I could think of when this incident happened. The worst part is I know that this is something that is probably happening in many long-term facilities everywhere else too.
As you know, budgets are tight in any long term care facility. Wherever a cost can be contained expect cuts or reductions in those areas. As I see it, everything is selected for its cost factor and not for the comfort of the resident. Take for instance the tissues that are used for the residents, most facilities buy the cheapest brand despite the fact that they may feel like used newspaper. Think about most of the other things used in an LTC facility, almost everything is a generic or off brand, all selected for their low cost.
Anyway, the latest cut where I work has ended the supply of wipes. You know, those moist tissues used to clean bottoms after the resident uses the restroom. During an ADL the other day one of my residents needed to be cleaned up. While I was looking for the wipes, one of the aides came to my rescue. "No more wipes" she said as she began running some warm water in the sink. She tossed in several washcloths which were used to clean this resident. She then rinsed the cloths in the sink, and placed them in a bag for laundry.
Yes, first I thought about the sink. How much bacteria was remaining in it after rinsing off several washcloths full of fecal matter? But then when the aide said the washcloths went to laundry, it hit me. Would anyone, knowing what these cloths have been used for and even after a cycle through the wash, then use them to wash their face? All I could think of is "Yuck".
Until next time, hope all your thoughts are good-
Tim