What is a "reasonable" amount of toilet paper and other supplies for an incontinent person and a 7.5 hour a day to use?

I've lost my emojis, but I want the crying with laughter one - this is why.

Bed bound lady, catheterised, faecal incontinence including blood in the stool (black, tarry, sticky), requiring 2:1 care. I attend the call with my co-worker. The lady that day is unable to transfer to commode with hoist because of pain in both legs. There are no wipes in the room, we have no toilet paper, my co-worker steps out to ask a family member for supplies. She returns three minutes later, looking a little shaken, holding about half a roll and - remember the client is present - quotes the family member verbatim: "can we not use too much because they're not going shopping 'til tomorrow."

Fortunately we know to keep our sense of humour when this kind of thing happens, and besides I was pretty much speechless. We did our best not to use too much. There's a 24 hour supermarket a two minute drive from this family's house, by the way.

Well, now. You say the care receiver is incontinent. How much in the way of supplies it is reasonable to use depends on several factors, including the type of incontinence, the person's bowel habit, the person's ability to transfer to toilet, commode or bedpan, and what other means of cleaning her might be available.

At lunchtime today the only way I could effectively clean up my client was to persuade her she wanted a shower; but if things had been less dramatic I might well have used up to half a roll, plus wipes, for just one transfer. A whole cake of soap seems a lot. They're not leaving it in water, are they? - that will soften and use it up extremely quickly.

I don't quite know what to advise, but I will say this. I work for a short-term service, public sector, free of charge to the client. We see people from all walks of life, from very well-off indeed to a long way below the breadline. We rapidly develop the skills to get somebody at least visibly clean with one manky flannel and three inches of tepid water. But if you want your loved one not to develop uti's or skin problems or a disagreeable odour, you can make our lives a lot easier by not skimping.

But actually, the main question is - why is this cost coming out of your pocket?

PS I don't know if this is true for your c.g.'s agency, but we're prohibited from bringing "our own crap." a) We can't be responsible for allergies and other sensitivities and must use only what the client supplies; and b) it goes against reablement principles to change the client's habitual preferences and routines. If it weren't so, I'd be trotting into clients' houses with not only my own unscented soap, paper towels and disposal bags (some households, you really wouldn't want to touch the soap) but also a suitcase of Senset cleansing foam, soft dry wipes, large Conti or Tena wet wipes AND A DECENT NAIL BRUSH for God's sake! And enough towels! And no rinse shampoo caps! And an electric shaver..!

Incontinent meaning that the person uses a pull up more than using a toilet? Its just me and my DH and we use less than 2 rolls in a week. Paper towels, not even a roll a week same with a 2oo cnt box of tissues. Handsoap, not even a bottle of it a week.

You say here so this is your home? Paper towels not needed for the physical caring of someone. Just spills and wiping of hands. Tissues only disappear quickly if someone has a cold. What I would do is only put out what is needed for the day. No one should go thru a roll of toilet paper in a day. I assume u have wipes available. These you can put in one of those travel cases used for babys. I have taken an empty tissue box and split a full one between the 2 boxes when getting low to have them in 2 different rooms.

I would tell her you are trying to conserve because of the large cost to of these supply's. You feel they are being wasted. That you have figured out how much is needed daily.

The supplies are either being wasted or stolen. Good for you you lock up. If you have a freezer, I would lock that up. I would maybe set aside a cabinet with stuff need for the client. Same with fridge. Only this shelf is for you and client, the rest of the frig is for me and my family.

Oh yeah, I think she is stealing.

I am going a bit out on a limb here, but as an IBSD sufferer, I sometimes use the better part of the big "4 rolls in one" toilet paper in ONE day. Perhaps your caregiver has gastrointestinal problems? They may not be stealing the tp.

Buy the one ply crappy stuff and maybe it won't be so appealing.

The Swiffer, they are stealing. I get the 2boxes and they last for months. I wonder if they take them off after each use? I use them till they are completely dirty. They don't work when dirty. But one wipe down does not dirty them. Again, leave one at a time. When its dirty, leave another. There are washable ones.

The coffee. Tell them for client only. And, that the client should not be drinking a lot, if like my Mom, it makes for a messy BM.

Now why isn't this person in a NH?

I think I would put this matter before the judge then. Document the usage.

Of course she's stealing it. That's an absurd amount. If she was actually using that much, you'd find paper towels filling the trash and your toilet would be clogged.

Find another caregiver, because that's probably not the only thing she's stealing.

Who has time to keep track of this. And why so untrusting of your caregiver?

I think there should be more better things to care about. You said you find a good caregiver. It won’t be a big issue if you run her off and you can’t find another good caregiver

Just a thought, do you think your "border" is telling the aides to take what they want feeling she is paying for it?