As the world shakes off another winter, it’s spring-cleaning season once again. Spring is upon us!  

For some, spring cleaning might seem like a big job to tackle. But the benefits for seniors, especially those who require – or may soon require – senior care are too big to sweep under the rug. As the weather warms and things begin to thaw, there’s often a need to do some general spring maintenance. For aging seniors, some routine tasks around the home can be difficult to take on, especially if they have mobility issues. There are several ways you can assist your senior to help get their home ready for spring and ensure a safe, secure environment inside and out.

With yearly spring cleaning, you can:

• Improve the safety of your loved one’s home by eliminating hazards
• Increase ease of living by reorganizing or replacing items
• Evaluate your loved one’s quality of life
• Identify if increased assistance is needed

With all that in mind, here are some tips to make spring cleaning easy when caring for a senior loved one…

1. Have a Plan. Before you start cleaning, make a checklist of the areas you need to cover and tasks that you want to accomplish. Go over this plan with your loved one and use their input to add to, modify, and improve your cleaning goals.
2. Invite Other Family or Friends to Help. Cleaning as a team makes spring cleaning easier and faster. More importantly, it gives you an excuse to get friends and family together, providing your loved one with company. Treat your loved one to a home-cooked meal or to dinner on the town with you and your fellow cleaners when the job is finished.

  3. Involve Your Loved One. As any senior care expert can tell you, getting your loved one involved in any task is                        important. With spring cleaning, your loved one will be able to provide useful information about what should stay, what should go, and what should be moved for improved accessibility. Even better, if your loved one has the strength to help

       with lighter tasks, cleaning can be great exercise.

   4.  Go After Clutter First. Getting rid of clutter helps improve home safety. It also makes it easier to clean. Maintaining a          clear walkway for seniors inside the home can help prevent falls. Pick up anything on the floor they could trip over,              such as rugs and unnecessary furniture. If cords to lamps and other things become a tripping hazard, consider                    moving anything that is plugged in to a different area of the home. Organize items and get rid of unused clothing,                furniture, and appliances. It will make your job easier and your loved one’s home safer.

   5.  Throw Out Expired Items. Having expired medication or food around can be dangerous – especially if your loved                 one struggles with memory issues. Do a thorough clean of your loved one’s medicine cabinet, fridge, and pantry to                reduce the risk posed by expired items.

   6.  Test Safety Precautions. When spring cleaning, use the opportunity to test any safety precautions or senior care                  safety items in your loved one’s home. Check the secureness and stability of grab bars, test fire and carbon                           monoxide detectors, and perform an overall evaluation of your loved home’s home safety. Change smoke detector              batteries. Periodically checking smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and emergency kits is always a good idea. The              U.S. Fire Administration recommends testing smoke detectors at least once a month, and batteries should be                      replaced at least twice a year. A good way to help remember to do this is to replace the batteries when you change              your clocks for daylight saving time when you spring forward or fall back. Because smoke detectors are typically                located on the ceiling or high on the wall, their location presents a fall hazard for the elderly. Helping your senior                   with this important task can reduce their fall risk.

Sometimes, spring cleaning can reveal that your loved one is struggling with their current living conditions. If you feel that your loved one may benefit from in home senior care, give Philia a call. We’ll be happy to discuss your loved one’s senior care options!