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Housekeeping at the retirement home where my mother is living tells her that they will not dispose of her incontinence garbage. I have taken her garbage out before and the garbage bins are across the parking lot and are approximately my height. It would be very dangerous for someone with bad balance and brittle bones to attempt to throw garbage in those containers. I know I could do it for her, but there would be times I couldn't and I worry she would try to do it herself.
Is it appropriate for housekeeping to have such a rule?

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I can't imagine a policy like this, before you go ballistic speak to management to see if this is real or just some kind of miscommunication.
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Our trash haulers also will not take adult briefs, wipes or gloves if they see them and they are left out in the open in a trash can. This is considered a bio-hazard. I put the briefs, etc. in a plastic grocery bag and then in a black garbage bag. No more issues or refusals.
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gdaughter Nov 2019
Just to add there may be special disposal bags available at a nominal cost...because in our area they are going to do away with grocery bags soon...
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Thank you all for your input. I do intend to speak to management at the retirement home. I think securing those items in a sealed bag rather than dumping them loosely in the garbage is what my mom should be doing. I will speak to her as well, to make sure she is being considerate in that way. I will let you know the outcome after I find out what exactly is the problem. Thanks again all.
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gdaughter Nov 2019
Well, now you seem to be indicating the items were loose and odorous...so while I can understand the refusal, saying they couldn't is another matter. It's a matter of communicating and having a way to dispose of things properly. We had a woman one time who was using a hamper and just dumping soiled/wet clothing in and the odor was not only near toxic when lifting the lid (for her homemaker who came every 2 weeks to do laundry), she'd also keep a fabric placemat near her bed if she got up to get to the bathroom and didn't make it in time...the whole area smelled. We had to set some ground rules.
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If its independent living, then yes I can see why. Like said, its biohazard material. Anything where human urine, blood, feces are present can have HIV, hepitis, etc. Housekeeping are not health care workers. They r trying to protect themselves. So, you will need to continue to take Moms trash out for her.

With my Mom, I had a med size trash can with a flip top lid. I lined it with a trash bag. She wore pull ups, so i rolled them up and thru in the trash can. (I had a deodorant disk stuck to the inside of the lid. Once the can was full, I threw the bag in with my trash. Those diaper genies are neat and maybe a good idea.
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I think that I would be talking to management about this.

It doesn't make any sense that they would pick and choose what garbage is being removed by housekeeping.

One thing that I did with my dad was to have him put his used briefs in a plastic bag and tie it, then place it in the trash can that had a bag, that way it was contained and did not smell up his room if it didn't get taken out that day. This was also a courtesy to the people taking the trash out.

I personally think that the reason for housekeeping is to get rid of the issues that could benefit funky.
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Well of course she needs to be sealing them in bags, I would have thought that was a given. And these can get heavy, so I suggest she uses several smaller bags rather than one large one.
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I've never heard of such a thing! However, is your mother living independently? If so, that may be why they're refusing to dispose of incontinence trash. If she's in Assisted Living, you need to speak to the Executive Director and demand an answer as to why a person requiring ASSISTANCE would be subjected to a DANGEROUS situation such as reaching into a dumpster to throw away a bag of garbage!!
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That’s crazy. Can’t imagine any business for the elderly not providing this service
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This makes utterly ZERO sense to me and I have never heard of such a thing. I would like you to speak to those in charge about this at once. There are very few elders in retirement homes capable of doing this. Hope you'll update us.
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gdaughter Nov 2019
Sounds to me like the housekeepers are generating rules of their own to avoid doing their job assignments. I'd be talking to management ASAP. It's hard to find good staff...but assuming the waste is bagged well (not heavy, leaking, smelly) I don't see what the issue is. Is your mom "saving" it up so their load is multiple bags? Is there some place a resident can't deposit their trash within the building (like a trash chute?)
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It’s odd how much “rules” can vary from place to place - when it comes to things like this. Medication seems to be another area effected by said rules and laws.

Anyhoo - my parents IL facility had the residents responsible for the disposal of their own trash. There were rooms at one end of the hall on every floor that had bins for recycling and a chute for dropping the rest of the garbage. The facility did a housekeeper cleaning once a week as a part of the rent. The housekeeper vacuumed and mopped but no garbage.

This same facility had a large AL wing. Residents living there had their garbage picked up every two hours - every day, all day and into the evening. It was a mandatory agreement for AL residents.

I suspect this rule was also a way for the staff to get in and check on the individual - making sure no one was laying on the floor, etc. Regardless, I liked the “rule” as I’m sure it was largely responsible for the place never having that awful ammonia smell so many old folks homes have. I have to admit I’d probably have been less enthusiastic about it - had I been the person having someone walk into my living space every two hours.

But hey, rules are rules...
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