Can assisted living throw your things out without asking?

When my spouse was at the nursing home, I signed docs explaining what happens to food or personal possessions. A couple examples - NOTHING of his was ever touched except leftover food. Any food in the refrigerator had to have the resident's name/date of purchase/gift received. If not used by expiration date or within 3 days (whichever came sooner) it was thrown out.
I brought plates, forks, spoons, & coffee cups many times, all wrapped in plastic, and put into or on top of drawer. Used items were thrown away immediately. Food safety was a priority.
Even if a specific resident did not get sick easily, it was possible for the wrong person to get hold of used or leftover items that could make someone else sick or cause injury (think of the manicure/shaving/hair items). If it landed on the floor - real easy for someone to slide/trip on. So those items might get put in a different spot to keep away from others or to prevent harm to others.

Some clothes did not fit, so I handed them to the nurse manager. Since no one wanted the clothes, they defaulted back to my spouse as owner of those items. The clothes were returned to his room. I took them to a thrift store.

Residents had things, considered a treasure by some, junk by others. A long list of policies about personal items was reviewed and signed by all parties upon admission to the facility. I have a friend who's dad just went to an assisted living facility - same rules signed by everyone.

It's also possible that when the housekeeping crew arrives to clean up, they are moving items, but not necessarily throwing them away.

All I know, is given the time I observed the people at the facility, residents and staff alike had pretty clear boundaries as to personal items and safety, and everyone signed off on these rules.

Timbergrove, does your Assisted Living facility wash your clothes? Is it clothing that is missing or thought to have been thrown out?

If you have a refrigerator and kitchen cabinet space, was it food items that were thrown out? If yes, could the items been passed the expiration date?

It depends on the situation. If the item is in your closet or drawers or on top of your bed or dresser, they are not allowed to touch it, move it, or throw it away without your permission. If something of yours is put into the trash can in your room or any other designated trash can in the facility, they are within their rights to consider it garbage and dispose of it. The same goes for any food left on your plate when you have finished eating-they can throw that away.

Everything brought into the Al facility for you (except food) should be inventoried under your name, even if someone else brings it to or for you. So, (theoretically, depending upon how well the AI facility keeps records) there "should" be an accurate accounting of all your belongings. If you suspect something is missing, tell someone in charge. They should investigate and if it can be proven to be missing, you should be given the option to have it paid for or to to get them to replace it for you.

If they try to ignore your complaint after a month's time, go report your loss (es) again. But, this time go directly to the Manager or Director if you can. If you need to, get someone to help you find out who that person is, if you are not sure. It could be the person who gives tours to new people who come to check out the place to see if they want to stay there.

Hope this helps. You DO have privacy rights, like in your own home.

Is this something that HAS happened? Has there been a threat that things will be thrown out? Are you looking into assisted living and want to know if this CAN happen? Hard to answer the question without some sort of background to WHY you are asking.....

I think the answer to your question is "it depends." Nothing is all black and white.

Doesn’t seem like your property should be touched but we don’t know what happened. Care to share more? When did you discover the item was missing? Could it be misplaced or do you know that it was definitely thrown out?

Sorry to hear this, Timbergrove. I would be upset if someone threw away something of mine without permission.

Can you give us a bit more info about what's been going on? What did they throw away? Did they give you any sort of excuse or explanation? Is there a dispute about rent, or did they claim that they had to throw the things away because they were a hazard somehow, for instance? Could there have been a misunderstanding or mistake?

I am asking you the question