How Many Briefs Per Resident Per Day? LTC Par Level Math for Incontinence Supplies
A 96-bed long-term care home in Peel Region was ordering 92 cases of briefs a month and still running short on weekends. The purchasing lead had inherited a rule of thumb — roughly one case per resident per month — and the rule had stopped matching the resident mix. Par level maths is what replaced it.Why a flat case-per-resident rule breaks down
Incontinence supply use tracks acuity, not census. A resident who walks to the toilet with cueing may need two briefs a day; a resident who is fully dependent and has a diuretic dose in the morning can need seven. When the same flat allocation is applied to both, the light-acuity rooms accumulate stock that sits in storage while the heavy-acuity rooms draw down borrowed product from a neighbouring unit.
The first step is tiering. Most homes end up with three practical tiers: ambulatory and mostly continent (2-3 changes a day), assisted with moderate incontinence (4-5), and fully dependent with heavy or overnight incontinence (6-8). Size matters as much as count — a large brief on a small resident leaks at the leg cuff and gets replaced early, which inflates usage.
The par level formula, in three numbers
Par level = (residents in the tier × changes per resident per day × days of cover) + safety buffer. Days of cover is how often you can receive a delivery, plus one day: twice-weekly deliveries support six days of cover, weekly deliveries need eight. The buffer then absorbs admissions, outbreaks and a resident who starts on a higher-absorbency product mid-week.
A worked example: 40 dependent residents at 6 changes a day is 240 units a day, or 1,440 units over six days. Add a 15% buffer and the par level is roughly 1,660 briefs, which is 28 cases of 60. Round up to 30 and the storeroom target is a clean number the night shift can count against.
| Tier | Changes per day | Typical size | 30-day units per resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambulatory, light | 2-3 | M | 75-90 |
| Assisted, moderate | 4-5 | L | 120-150 |
| Dependent, heavy | 6-8 | L or XL | 180-240 |
| Overnight product | 1 plus day briefs | L | 30 overnight + day units |
Separate the line items
Briefs, booster pads, pull-ons and underpads are four different par levels, not one. Ambulatory residents usually do better in pull-on briefs for ambulatory residents, because they can be managed independently in a washroom. Dependent residents need a taped brief; a 3,000 mL day brief covers daytime rounds, while a 5,000 mL overnight brief reduces 2 a.m. linen changes. Boosters sit inside the brief for double-incontinence episodes, and a 30x36 inch underpad protects the mattress when a brief is repositioned or removed.
Buffer, storage and rotation
A par level is only useful if the storeroom can hold it. Cases of briefs are bulky: measure the shelf depth before setting the target, and keep at least one full par level on the shelf and the buffer in reserve rather than stacking two par levels on the floor. Rotate stock first-in, first-out, keep it off concrete, and away from heat and humidity that degrade the absorbent core and the adhesive tabs.
Documenting the number
Ontario homes that are surveyed against provincial infection prevention and control expectations should be able to show why the par level is what it is. Keep the tier counts, the changes-per-day assumption and the delivery frequency in one page that the director of care signs off each quarter, and reconcile usage against the count monthly. Clinical guidance on incontinence care and Public Health Ontario infection prevention material are the references most homes keep behind that document.
References
Clinics and care homes that also run a sterilizer can start monitoring with a five-pack biological indicator trial for $12.99, shipping included.
Ordering for a clinic, lab or care home? Wholesale and multi-site ordering covers case pricing and account setup, and the B2B wholesale collection lists the lines stocked for institutional buyers.
Related Reading
- CliniEco Medical learning hub for care facilities
- Incontinence management in Canadian long-term care
- What Canadian LTC homes spend on incontinence supplies
- LTC incontinence restocking checklist
- long-term care supplies
Ordering in volume for a care facility, clinic or home care agency?
Facility buyers do not need an online account to get pricing. Send us your case quantities, ship-to province and required delivery frequency, and we will confirm volume pricing and lead time in writing.
- Request a bulk quote for care facilities — case quantities, par-level planning and standing orders
- View wholesale and institutional product lines
- Contact us — for tenders, RFQs and multi-site accounts
Frequently Asked Questions
How many briefs does one resident use per month?
It depends on acuity. At 2-3 changes a day a resident uses roughly 75-90 briefs a month; at 6-8 changes a day the range is 180-240. Tier your residents first, then multiply by days of cover.
What is a par level in LTC supply management?
A par level is the quantity a storeroom should hold to cover one delivery cycle plus a safety buffer. It is calculated from census, changes per resident per day and delivery frequency, not from last month's invoice alone.
Do booster pads replace briefs?
No. Boosters add capacity inside a brief for double-incontinence episodes. They reduce the number of full brief changes, but they do not replace the brief itself.
Are 60x90 cm underpads still needed if briefs are used?
Yes, for any resident whose brief is repositioned, removed or changed in bed. Underpads protect the mattress and cut linen changes; 30x36 inch pads suit most care-home beds.
Should each nursing unit have its own par level?
Where units have separate storerooms, yes; a single facility-wide number hides borrowing between units. With a central store, keep per-unit sub-counts and add them when ordering.
Last updated: September 2026. CliniEco Medical holds MDEL #35334 issued by Health Canada, and supplies clinics, long-term care homes and home-care programs across Canada.
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