Holidays and caregivers? Facility rule is no tipping. Any suggestions?

Sending a thank you card to the staff via the director of nursing and posting it is also nice for the staff. DW always liked them.

I did a large sandwich tray at Christmas time last year. We celebrate Mardi Gras, I got the staff a large King Cake. I’ll probably do some thing in the next couple of weeks. I’d love some other suggestions!

You got some great ideas! And based on these ideas why don't you buy gift bags and in each bag place 1 or 2 pieces of fruit, some candy or homemade cookings, you could make or buy salsa and add some chips. I know this sounds expensive, but really it could be about 5 to 7 dollars a bag, it could be cheaper if you buy the things you need on sale and it depends on how much stuff you put in the bag. The nice thing with gift bags you can be creative and play with the idea on what you want in it and how you want it to look. Bath and Body has traval size lotions that are always on sale for the holidays.
However, if there is a lot of employees than your best bet would be to go with one of those great ideas that have been suggested.

At my mother's present facility family is asked if they feel like contributing to a general fund that is distributed. I do because I am so much happier in this AL than her previous one and the cost is much less. But there is no pressure. If you feel there are certain individuals that you and she feel happy about than you could find a gift you think they might like. It needn't be expensive. Perhaps a cologne or something like that. Or possibly a scarf. These are just some thoughts. Maybe they might like chocolates or cookies they could share with family. I would just give it to ones who have alot of direct contact with her and she has positive feelings about. At her previous facility there was a person who was supposed to help with my mother's bathing. I eventually found out she told my mother she couldn't do anything because she had a bad shoulder. I was livid and had her removed from dealing with my mother. I certainly wouldn't have ever thought of giving that person anything.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it.

The size of the facility, and how many different nursing floors/units/halls/houses that your Mom has lived in/on will make a difference when deciding what to give to the staff.  Also, do you want to give something just to the nursing staff?  If the facility is small, say 40+ beds; then you might want to include the housekeeping and dietary staff also.

Ask the Director of Nursing or the Social Service Director what type of items the staff can receive.   I have worked in long term care/nursing homes and we rarely received "lunch" from family members as a "Thank You".  We did receive "Lunch" from the Administration to celebrate "Nurses' Week" or "Nursing Home Week" in May.  We usually received boxes of candy from the families at Christmas time; and often the candy was brought in the daytime so there was very little candy left over for the evening and night shift staff members. 

When I worked in a 45+ bed facility, to celebrate "Nursing Home Week", I have brought meat platters from Subway or another deli for EACH SHIFT and placed them in the STAFF LOUNGE refrigerator for EVERYONE to enjoy.  Each platter was labeled as to which shift it was for.  I took the meat platters for the Evening shift and Night shift to the nursing home at 8 PM so that the food was fresh and the 3-11 staff could enjoy the food after the residents had been put to bed that evening.  

A couple of families sent crates of oranges and apples from Florida or California and these were put in the Staff Lounge and a sign was put up informing the facility staff to take just 1 or 2 oranges or apples so that everyone got some fruit.  You could give a fruit basket to the nursing staff.  Make up your own fruit basket as the store-bought baskets are all stuffing and very little fruit.

I love Ahmjoy's idea of giving homemade salsa and chips to the staff.  It is a great grab-&-go snack that the staff can eat quickly between caring for the residents. 

Another idea is bags of "Puppy Chow" or "Muddy Buddy" or regular Chex Mix snacks (or chocolate-dipped pretzels).  [Make some of the snack without peanuts in case someone is allergic to peanuts.]  People LOVE this stuff.  Use zip-lock bags and decorate the bags with Christmas stickers.  Make enough bags so that the nursing staff on each shift get one.  

Use your imagination, and have fun making snack bags for the facility staff.

When my aunt was in the nursing home, she sent the nursing staff flowers - they really liked it. She probably got better care, too.

Here is the link to the last time you asked this question.
https://www.agingcare.com/questions/gifting-the-caregivers-443147.htm?orderBy=oldest

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I sent Edible Arrangements to many groups involved in mom's care and so supportive of me. All absolutely enjoyed it! And healthy to boot.

There were three shifts of caregivers at my mom’s facility and it wouldn’t have been possible to investigate every one of their personal likes and dislikes, although it’s a very nice idea. At the time, I was doing a lot of canning and one of the things I homemade was salsa. I bought three bags of chips and took two quart jars and a bowl plus paper bowls and napkins. I set it up in their lounge for them. I heard about how nice my gesture was until Easter.

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