Returning to our Spring Fever event, today we are going to talk about some basic cleaning tips for older adults. Our caregivers can also do light housekeeping such as light dusting and sweeping. If you would like to know more about spring cleaning from our perspective, check our post out. Here we go!
Don’t Mix Chemicals
Mixing your chemicals can lead to really bad chemical reactions. Please do not mix chemicals and make sure that all the chemicals that you use fully dry on surfaces before using another one. Also practice safety by wearing gloves, especially if you notice your skin getting more irritated as you age, which can definitely happen.
List Out the Tasks and Pace Yourself
Older adults often notice that they have less stamina than they may had in previous years. To help with this, I recommend breaking down the cleaning into the minutiae and to pace themselves. Take lots of breaks. “Clean the bathroom” is more daunting than “wipe down the mirrors, sanitize the sinks, and clean the toilets.” I think this will really help keep people motivated.
Make Cleaning Tasks Smaller
In this vein, older adults may benefit from doing “smaller” cleaning tasks. Like, maybe instead of wiping all of the mirrors, do the mirrors in certain rooms rotating over the course of the week. Instead of doing a big laundry load once a week, do smaller loads twice a week. This may help with fatigue while also ensuring the older adult is able to maintain their clean and safe environments.
I hope you all have enjoyed this series, you’ll see a few more posts about it from me.
Written by Brigid Stakelum
