House Cleaning Tips for Seniors

Many seniors prefer to live in their own homes as long as possible. It’s a matter of freedom, independence, and pride.

Yet, as time goes on, people often find that it’s easier to have some help with keeping up a home. Housekeeping, cleaning, and yard work all require ongoing care to keep things to the standard you enjoy.

Are you or a loved one living at home, but needing an extra hand?

If you are finding that housekeeping chores have become challenging or tiring, you have options. Let’s explore some house cleaning tips for seniors as well as how you can find housekeeping help for seniors so you can keep your home clean, safe, and comfortable.

Figuring Out Your Needs

Our first housekeeping tip for seniors is to know what exactly you need to do. When starting out, it helps to identify your housekeeping needs. This is a time to be candid and honest about tasks you may have been struggling with. It is not a time to conceal or minimize that some chores require more balance, flexibility, or strength than you currently experience.

Sometimes, one thing leads to another. For instance, if you’re having trouble climbing the stairs, it will be difficult to clean and care for a second level of your home. If you’re not feeling balanced on a ladder, you may need help fixing a light bulb.

Each of these tasks are not huge. For a housekeeper, these tasks will be easy to manage. You don’t have to struggle alone.

Getting help starts with defining the tasks and chores that you’d like to have help managing. After all, maintaining a house is important not just for your health and safety, but also if you want to qualify for home insurance for seniors.

Consider Tasks and Maintenance Inside Your Home

Many seniors find that doing inside cleaning and household maintenance is challenging. You might find that an individual housekeeper can address one or two issues that have been troubling you.

Make a list of the things you would like done. Keep in mind that you may have concerns that seem too big or too small.

Here are a few of the tasks they can do that you may find useful.

• Vacuuming
• Mopping and sweeping floors
• Deep cleaning the bathroom
• Deep cleaning the kitchen
• Doing the laundry
• Cleaning the windows
• Clearing stairs and walkways
• Disinfecting and sanitizing areas

Even if you are comfortable doing these chores, you may find that it’s easier to have someone do deep cleaning once or twice a month. This makes it more enjoyable to do lighter tasks on a daily and weekly basis.

Evaluate Outdoor Maintenance

In addition to inside housekeeping, outside work can pile up. Keeping up with seasonal chores such as mowing the grass, raking leaves, and shoveling snow may be daunting.

As you evaluate areas that may need extra support and attention, look both inside and outside your apartment or house. In addition, decide whether you need help on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Some household chores are seasonal such as putting in storm windows, weatherproofing, or checking on air-conditioners/furnaces.

What exterior housekeeping would you like to have help doing?

• Mowing the lawn
• Raking the grass
• Shoveling snow
• Trimming the trees
• Tending the garden
• Cleaning the gutters
• Changing storm windows
• Checking screens

Depending on your climate and home, you may have larger projects as well as ongoing maintenance. Keep track of the tasks that you’d like to have help completing.

It is possible that you can arrange housekeeping help for small jobs from an individual. For larger projects, you may need services from an agency or business.

Getting housekeeping help for seniors starts with identifying specific tasks. It’s the key for staying free and independent.

Talk With Friends and Family

Some of your family may live nearby and be able to help out around the house. Yet, it’s good to remember that your family can help you in a different way: developing for a long-term plan for in-home housekeeping.

Often, friends, family members, and neighbors are a good place to start researching. People you know may have a housekeeper who has worked with them for years. A neighbor or friend may know of someone who has recently used a service you’re seeking.

Start by talking with people in your inner circle. You may be able to find some wonderful providers who already have a glowing personal recommendation.

Expanding The Zone

It’s possible that housekeeping is the first place where you would like help.

Yet, there may be areas where you’d like or would value help.

This may include preparing meals, finding transportation to services, or getting assistance with grocery shopping. Meals on Wheels America is one of the most well-known services helping to provide food and groceries to seniors. It’s possible to find help for living at home comfortably, so you can maintain an active lifestyle.

As the goal of living in your home is a top priority, make sure to look at all the parts of your life where you’d like support.

What Is Available in Your Area?

After exploring personal recommendations, check in with your local Area Agency on Aging. This is a great resource for finding out what housekeeping help for seniors is available to you. You can get information on local, state, and federal services—in one centralized spot.

While you’re checking out local offerings, be sure to check with the Eldercare Directory. You can find help in many states that offer caregiver assistance. You may find that local agencies offer ‘chore and homemaker assistance’ to help with shopping, laundry, general house cleaning, preparing meals, and yard work.

In addition, look into your neighborhood and city. You may find that local churches and charities have special programs that help seniors with housekeeping. Check in with social workers, healthcare providers, community centers, and city services to find out about senior services programs near you.

As you evaluate options, investigate in-home care services, such as Visiting Angels. You can start with a free home care consultation to evaluate your needs.

Look into in-home housekeeping services in your area. For example, Assisting Hands offers in-home housekeeping for the elderly in Portland. Do an Internet search for ‘housekeeping help for seniors.’ You’ll find local services that can help you with customized solutions for a clean and safe home.

Assistance Club Summary

As you want to live independently in your own home, take the initiative to get the help and support you needs. Check out the local, state, and federal resources for getting housekeeping help, so you can enjoy the comfort and freedom of living in your home. For more housekeeping and house cleaning tips for seniors, check out our other articles on Senior Assistance Club.