Question:
Awhile back, I sent a Valentine quilt to my MIL, who is in ahome for Alzheimer's patients in Maryland. She was very tickled with itand it really brightened up her room.SIL called and said the quilt was missing when she went in to visit. Shegoes often and talks to the staff each time to let them know that she isaware of things and keeps close tabs on her mother. The quilt wasn't inanother patient's room, (sometimes they will 'borrow' things from eachother), and she realized that the only way it could have disappeared is ifa staff person removed it from the building. After asking extensively, shefinally told them that she was going to report the missing quilt to thepolice, and if that didn't work she would hire a private detective ifnecessary to see to it that anyone who would steal from the patients wouldlose their job. The next day one of the staff returned it saying it was ina closed box inside another box in the laundry room. (Off limits topatients).

I feel so terrible that this kind of thing happens to these helpless people.I know even worse things can happen, but this is a brand new facility and wehoped that by waiting for an opening at this place, a lot of this kind ofthing would be avoided. Luckily my SIL was able to prevail this time, andMIL can still snuggle under her huggy quilt.

Any comments for me???

Answer: Stealing things isn't confined to nursing homes. It's prevalent in all areas.

My kids have had to learn the hard way not to take ANYTHING except textbooks andnotebooks to school. No cassette or CD players, very little money, nothing.

You hear of quilt shops that have whole bolts of fabric taken.

Ask someone who works at a grocery store about the people who make a living offof scamming the stores. Ask someone who works at a bank about the people whomake a living off of bad checks.

The list goes on and on. It is so very sad.

When my MIL was in a home, I learned not to buy her pretty gownsand robes. I never knew if it was fellow patients, staff, or the relativewho "delivered" the gifts for me.