Helping Your Loved One with Spring Cleaning

During the dark, cold months of winter, it’s common to feel unmotivated to clean. With the weather starting to warm and flowers starting to bloom, we feel a sense of rejuvenation and want to reflect that in our homes. But seniors are often overwhelmed by the number of tasks that spring cleaning includes. Don’t let your elderly loved one go at it alone. Helping your loved one with spring cleaning is a fantastic way to not only support them, but to spend time together.

Start by making a checklist and a schedule

What is it that your loved one needs taken care of during their spring cleaning session? Take an afternoon to sit down with them and discuss what they would like to take care of throughout their spring cleaning. While you’re there, assess the state of their home for yourself and add items to that list as necessary.

If your checklist is looking unwieldy, consider breaking down your spring cleaning into stages. Instead of spending all day cleaning, take care of one room per day for a week or so. This is much easier to manage for most seniors.

Tackle clutter first                                         

Clutter not only poses serious tripping hazards, but it can be detrimental to your elderly loved one’s mental health. Take care of any clutter that has accumulated over the winter season to better assess what else needs to be managed.

Removing clutter can involve organizing mail, going through the kitchen cabinets and fridge, and sorting through the medicine cabinet. It should also involve putting away and throwing anything that could block walkways.

Replace air filters

Did you know that the air filters in your elderly loved one’s home should be replaced every three to six months? Thankfully, the process is quite easy—though you may need a ladder, depending on where the air vents are. While your loved one might not immediately recognize the change it makes, they will certainly be breathing more easily in the coming days!

Test and replace alarms as necessary

While this task should be completed on a monthly basis, it’s easy for out-of-sight smoke alarms to also be out of mind. Spring cleaning is a great time to test alarms—such as the smoke and carbon monoxide detector. Even if the batteries work, it’s a good idea to replace them.

If they have an outdoor area, make it warm-weather ready

As the warmer days come, seniors love to take advantage of the weather on a front porch or back patio. Clear these spaces of any dust and debris that may have accumulated. Then, clean off any outdoor furniture so it is ready for use so they can finally enjoy the fresh air.

An at-home caregiver can help with light housekeeping

Most of the time, your loved one’s home doesn’t need a deep clean—it just needs maintenance. If activities like sweeping and vacuuming have grown to be difficult for your loved one, consider hiring the help of an at-home caregiver. In addition to assisting with activities such as personal care and medication reminders, their caregiver can help with light housekeeping tasks. This keeps the home clean year-round.

If you think your loved one would benefit from the aid of a caregiver, give us a call at 773-274-9262. We’d love to speak with you about our services.