Light Housekeeping

Housekeeping for Senior Citizens

Keeping a home neat and tidy requires a lot of work. Seniors who need a little help in this department can count on our Los Angeles caregivers. Your loved one will be much happier in a clean, tidy home.

What is Light Housekeeping?

When you or your loved ones start to struggle with basic tasks, bringing in help to provide light housekeeping for seniors can mean the difference between a tidy home and an injury or accident. It only takes one stumble while carrying a laundry basket to put your loved one in danger. Rather than risking this, bringing in a professional who can help with simple tasks such as sweeping or vacuuming in living and bedroom areas, cleaning up the kitchen and keeping the bathroom orderly and clean is a great investment. 

Light housekeeping is most often included in a list of services provided by home care agencies, such as 24Hour Caregivers. Certain light housekeeping services are most commonly included in a longer list of caregiver activities:

Light Housekeeping for Caregivers

Your loved one will be much happier in a clean, tidy home. By tidying up clutter, a senior caregiver can reduce the risk of tripping. In addition, it may be hard for your loved one to notice when surfaces in the kitchen or bathroom are dirty and put them at risk for food poisoning or infection. This is the reason for hiring a caregiver to perform light housekeeping with senior needs in mind as opposed to a general housekeeper. A caregiver will have experience and sharp enough vision to correct this. 

What Is Considered Light Housekeeping for a Caregiver?

It's important to fully define the light housekeeping tasks your loved one needs taken care of when hiring a caregiver. For example, light housekeeping help can mean stopping over two or three times a week to clean the kitchen, scrub the bathroom and vacuum. If this is all the help your loved one needs, a schedule that includes a stop on Monday, Wednesday and Friday can be a great way to keep the home clean and protect your loved one from a tumble.

Light housekeeping can also mean doing a little cooking or at least checking the refrigerator for anything that's spoiled or out of date. Caregivers might also stop at the grocery store on the way to your loved ones home for a few supplies or perishables. As a general rule, it's a good idea to set up a list system and make sure your housekeeping assistant has payment from you to make these purchases. A caregiver performing light housekeeping duties, will clean the tables off in the kitchen and restock the fridge.  

Some caregivers may be able to help seniors run errands by providing transport, close to the door drop-off services and help with getting purchases put away. Again, if this is part of the help you need, make sure that the caregiver providing light housekeeping is aware of these needs before they take the job. These out of the house projects may be simple for them to accomplish, but they are a project above and beyond the basics of light cleaning.

On average if a caregiver is only helping with the most common light housekeeping services, that will include:

• Laundry services
• Dusting
• Mopping and vacuuming
• Dish washing
• Pet care
• Changing sheets and making beds
• Taking out the trash
• Cleaning bathrooms and kitchens

Is Pet Care a Part of Light Housekeeping?

For many seniors and disabled people, pets add greatly to their quality of life. A light housekeeping professional can help with small tasks such as a daily walk, feeding and cleanup. Make sure to invest in products needed for waste handling, such as quality litter boxes and waste handling bags. If housekeeping help for disabled and elderly people includes trips to the groomer, invest in a pet carrier to make this more manageable.

Why Do Seniors Need Light Housekeeping?

Safety

According to the National Council on Aging, one in four Americans age 65+ falls each year. A hospital stay is known to take twice as long because of a fall as opposed to other causes, making slipping and falling among the most hazardous experiences for seniors. Housekeeping requires a decent sense of balance, the ability to bend and stretch, and the ability to lift. If your loved one can't do these things, housekeeping may put them at risk of tripping, stumbling or simply losing their balance.

Happiness & Well-being

The quality of the environment, including basic needs for sanitation has a strong impact on an older persons’ well-being. A living space you are proud of and feel good to be in over time makes a big difference in the well-being of senior or a person with disabilities.

Housekeeping for Disabled

Many people with disabilities can lead fulfilling lives but may struggle to clean the top of the refrigerator or vacuum the baseboards. This is where a little help with cleaning for disabled citizens can mean the difference between an independent life and needing to enter a facility that provides more physical support. Cleaning for disabled people may require some knowledge of how a bathtub lift works and how to clean it properly. As with the elderly, help with housework for disabled people may include laundry and grocery shopping.

Is Light Housekeeping for You or Somebody You Love?

Many elderly people are not comfortable with asking for help. This can lead to dangerous situations that can easily be avoided with a little help from a professional. If your loved one is struggling but won't accept your assistance, suggest bringing in someone to help with light housekeeping. By making your loved one part of the decision making process, you can help them define exactly what assistance they require and how often they will need a visit. If you’re looking for light housekeeping, speak with our staff at 24Hour Caregivers. We will able to assess, advise and assist in light housekeeping needs for seniors and for those with disabilities.