The Solution to Lost Clothing in Care Homes

Ah, Lost laundry - the bane of every staff member and resident’s existence – is something that we're very passionate about resolving as much as possible. Clothing can often have sentimental value and be a precious commodity, which is why it’s important to have a secure and durable way to name and personalise clothing. This blog post explores how such a simple and effective solution to reducing lost items improves the care environment greatly.

Did you know that 81% of surveyed care homes in the UK experience issues with lost or mixed-up belongings? We were shocked, too. It’s a high percentage after all. 
Clothing, undergarments and soft accessories make up a large chunk of this number and with factors such as shared laundry services and some residents having cognitive impairments such as dementia - it makes this problem even more prevalent.

•   This issue is often a top complaint from family members, often impeding on ratings given to the homes in question. 
•   This emotional distress for residents is not something anyone wants.
•   Plus the added strain on care home staff who are often thin on the ground, creates an unnecessary burden that can be easily avoided. 
•   Not to mention the cost it causes the families to replace the items in question.

Luckily, we have an easy and cost-effective solution – “a small tag-based system that ensures every resident's belongings are clearly marked, reducing confusion and mix-ups, especially in high-turnover settings.”

Attach A Tag’s system works by attaching a durable tag with the resident’s name to items with one of our Applicators, ensuring that belongings can be identified even after being laundered or moved between different rooms or facilities. Our tags are fully reusable and by providing a safe, non-sew or adhesive alternative to other products on the market – and can be used by just about anyone. 

While we recommend attaching the name tags to laundry labels, they can be applied securely to garments without damaging fabric. These durable tags can withstand industrial level washing, making them ideal for care home environments where items are laundered regularly. You can read more about our tags in our FAQ)

We’ve summed up the key benefits of name tagging residents clothing:

1. Improves Organisation and Reduces Confusion: Attach A Tag’s button-based system ensures that every resident's belongings are clearly marked, reducing confusion and mix-ups, especially in high-turnover settings. 
2. Resilient: Our laser-marked tags don’t fade and are guaranteed to last for as long as you need them!
3. Saves Time for Staff: With personalised tags, staff spend less time in sorting laundry and more time focusing on providing quality care. We know how challenging the care environment can already be, but our small tags have a big impact.
4. Enhances Resident Comfort: Residents experience greater peace of mind knowing their personal items are securely labelled and less likely to be misplaced. On top of our small & strong clothing tags, we also offer industrial-strength name labels for shoes, glasses cases, walking sticks and other non-garment items.
   Boosts Family Satisfaction: Families appreciate the security of knowing their loved ones’ belongings are easily identifiable, preventing the loss of cherished or necessary items.
5. Boosts Family Satisfaction: Families appreciate the security of knowing their loved ones’ belongings are easily identifiable, preventing the loss of cherished or necessary items.

We interviewed a long-standing customer of ours about how personalised name tags have streamlined their laundry process and reduced issues of missing items. This is what Linda at Bridge House had to say on the matter: 

"The tags make it so much easier to return clothes to the correct resident. Also with respite residents it’s easier to put the tags on the clothes so that when they eventually go home, they have all the clothes they came in with. The price is also very affordable and delivery is quick. Staff in office are also polite when making orders."

- Linda

• Standardise the Labelling Process: Work with a provider like Attach A Tag to implement a consistent labelling system throughout the care home to ensure that all residents’ items are tagged. 
• Involve Staff in the Process: Train care home staff on how to use the tags and ensure they check for them regularly, especially during laundry and room transfers.
• Order all in one go: Ordering in bulk with ourselves via order form makes the process less of a hassle in collating the different sets of tags for residents. Our motorised applicator also makes affixing the tags even quicker, freeing up more time for your day. (Seeing everyone’s names on a form will also ensure nobody is left without tags.)
• Hold a stock: Have extra tags at the ready for gifts or new clothes being bought. Use our handy Storage Box to house & organise them!

Personalised name tags, like those offered by Attach A Tag, provide a simple and effective way to tackle the persistent issue of lost belongings in care homes. By adopting this solution, care homes can improve operational efficiency, enhance residents’ peace of mind, and provide greater care satisfaction to families. With a fast turnaround, all orders placed before 2pm are aimed to be dispatched the same working day!