Many aging family members experience challenges around the house regarding spring cleaning due to limited mobility, strength, and memory. However, mature adults can still enjoy the benefits of spring cleaning without having to lift heavy objects or remember where everything goes! These spring cleaning tips for the elderly will help keep their homes clean and functional.
Have a Plan
Have a cleaning checklist on hand to ensure you stay on task. If you know what needs to be done, it’s less likely that you’ll get distracted by something else. For example, if your goal is to declutter one room of your house each day, make sure your list is set up accordingly. Start with easy and fun tasks (for example, remove knick-knacks from shelves) and end with more difficult chores (for example, clear out under-the-bed storage boxes). Then tackle each item one at a time until your home sparkles!
Invite Other Family or Friends to Help
It’s tempting to spring clean on your own and not to trouble others, but taking on too much can be dangerous—you might need help lifting heavy objects, or you might overexert yourself. Ask around and see if any friends or family members would like to help you with your cleaning project. Even if they don’t have time to do everything with you, there will be someone available if something goes wrong.
Involvement
If you’re looking to do some serious spring cleaning for your loved ones or you want to get your loved one started on an easy, healthy routine, start by involving them. It can be hard to get older loved ones involved in regular exercise and habits, but it’s easier when they feel like they have ownership of their routine—especially if they think of their activity as fun! Even just a half-hour per day spent with your loved one can improve their health. Plus, you might be surprised how much you enjoy having company while you clean!
Go After Clutter First
Clutter can pile up quickly, especially in a home with multiple floors and hard-to-reach areas. If you tackle clutter first, you’ll have less cleaning to do overall. Instead of focusing on one space at a time, focus on throwing away either broken things or items that are no longer being used. Don’t just set them aside to be tossed out later—do it now! A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t used something in six months, get rid of it. After tackling your clutter, move on to light scrubbing tasks like dusting and vacuuming before moving on to more significant tasks like bathroom cleaning or repainting rooms.
Throw Out Expired Items
It’s easy to accumulate clutter and forget about some of your belongings. Keep track of your things by noting when you last used them on a sticky note or in an app on your phone. If it’s been over a year, be sure to get rid of these things. When in doubt, throw it out!
Get Home Care Experts to Help
As people age, they lose a certain degree of mobility, making housekeeping more complex and even dangerous. A study by Harvard researchers found that falling is a leading cause of serious injury among older people, and 75% of injuries from falls result in fractures. Fortunately, you don’t have to tackle spring cleaning alone. Hiring professional home care providers will help with cleaning and chores such as lawn mowing, changing batteries in smoke detectors, and winterizing home plumbing systems. Better yet, consider moving into a senior living community where housekeeping and maintenance tasks are taken care of for you.
