The Best Way To Clean Homes Where Seniors Live

I have been fortunate enough to have access to elderly people from different cultures, and I get why some people are pleased to age, while others are just scared of the unknown. Some cultures alter their lives to accommodate their elderly, while others, carry on and let the government handle the seniors.

A kind government considers its seniors and does its best to give them a good life in old age, while the corrupt ones do not even pay the pensions they owe them. Whether the old ones in your lives are living with you, or chilling at the care home, there is the right way to clean their surroundings to help their health.

The best situation for old people is a natural and healthy environment, and they will love to do it right in comfortable familiar surroundings like their homes. To ensure that this wish is made a reality, it is essential to provide them with a safe and healthy environment that remains clean and organized for ease of accessibility and remembrance.

This post will run through the tips, routines and tools to achieve this for your family member who is blessed enough to age, but before then, let us understand a few things about this lucky set of human beings, we refer to as seniors.

Brief Understanding

In clear terms, ageing is a good thing, but ageing in good health is a blessing from the creator. this idea of ageing and how the life span of humans got shortened over time of the human existence, can be read in the bible from Genesis. It is a unique experience for everyone because it depends on your experiences and choices made before the time comes.

No doubt ageing has its pros and cons, blessings and challenges, advantages and disadvantages. In the African culture, Elderly people are hardly uprooted from the base to go live someplace else permanently, rather younger people are uprooted to go live with a senior citizen, while in the Western world, the reverse is the case.

In Africa, the financial burden of the elderly, lies with the family, or on the wealth accumulated over the years by the family, through investments, businesses, savings or pensions, while the government takes care of the ageing in the Western world. So how a senior is treated, depends on a collection of things, like the family they have, the retirement plans put in place while young, the region of residence and so on.

There are a few questions people while making enquiries about seniors, like why do seniors fall? Seniors often fall as a result of a combination of factors such as underlying illnesses that could decrease balance, weaker muscles and bones, vision problems, Injuries, and environmental hazards like loose rugs or slippery floors, items not kept properly, taking medications that cause dizziness or drowsiness can also contribute to falls.

People often wonder if there is an actual time when seniors fall, falls are most common during the early morning or late evening when lighting is poor and seniors are more likely to be tired, because they are waking up from sleep, and are not completely awake, or late evening when they are tired and feeling sleepy.

By midday, the sun is out and light is in full view, and the seniors are wide awake. Places where falls occur, are in bathrooms, on stairs, are the edges of centre rugs, or a place where shoes are placed on the floor, or where there are more obstacles, which heightens the risk of slipping.

Opinions have soared high on why seniors should not get a dog. Although seniors are generally lonely, and need companionship, which is a major problem among them, there is a reason why they are not advised to get a dog, and that is that seniors with mobility issues might struggle to care for a dog. The risk of tripping over the pet or being pulled over by a leash can make it unsafe for some seniors, causing them to fall and sustain broken bones, which might make them bed-bound forever.

Most Seniors you see are super slim, which is why some people will wonder why seniors lose weight. Weight loss in seniors can be due to a decrease in appetite, changes in taste and smell, medication side effects, good old ageing, or underlying health conditions. This can be worse, if the senior prepares his or her food, maybe because they live alone, he or she can be helped with better food intake.

Just like the struggle to eat, there can also be reasons why seniors can’t sleep when they want to, or sleep when they do not want to, and the reasons vary. Seniors may have trouble sleeping due to changes in their circadian rhythm, medical conditions like arthritis or sleep apnea, and medications that disrupt sleep. Stress and anxiety can also contribute to insomnia. They often fall asleep when watching the television or just after a meal, but when they go to bed they are likely to get back up and wander.

This brings us to the question, why do seniors bruise easily? Now this is not only peculiar with the seniors, but to us all. When we age, our skin becomes thinner, because we lose the protective fatty layer that helps cushion blood vessels. This makes seniors more prone to bruising from minor bumps, contacts, or injuries.

Keeping the mind sharp, could be the reason why seniors play brain games. Brain games like crosswords, puzzles, sudoku, and others, help keep the mind sharp, improve cognitive function, and can delay the onset of dementia. They provide mental stimulation and fun social activity, against these :

1. Seniors and Depression

Seniors do experience depression, but depression in seniors can result from isolation, loss of loved ones, chronic illness, or reduced independence, as well as medication. People are expected to experience bad moods when they go from taking care of everyone all their lives to being taken care of. It’s depressing, to say the least.

2. Seniors and Loneliness

Loneliness is a common issue among seniors, often exacerbated by retirement, which gives them the idea that society doesn’t have any need for them again, which is why people are advised to have some good hobbies or business/ side hustle before they retire. Mobility issues, and the loss of loved ones and social connections. Encouraging regular social interactions, hobbies, and community involvement can help alleviate feelings of loneliness.

3. Games Seniors Like to Play

Seniors enjoy a variety of games, including card games like bridge, board games like Scrabble, senior dart, seniors snooker, seniors crossword, and puzzles. These games provide entertainment, cognitive stimulation, and social interaction.

4. Things Seniors Like to Do

Seniors often enjoy activities like gardening, knitting, painting, senior yoga, seniors Zuma, and reading. These hobbies can be both relaxing, strengthening and stimulating, helping to maintain mental and physical health.

5. Movies Seniors Like to Watch

Most seniors like to stick with what they know, while some like to learn and evolve. Classic films, comedies, and musicals are often favourites among seniors. Movies that they enjoyed in their youth can bring back fond memories and offer a comforting escape. Which doesn’t mean they are not willing to watch new movies and create new memories with you right now.

6. Places Seniors Like to Go

Seniors enjoy visiting parks, museums, libraries, and community centres and take advantage of fish and chip shops that have the ‘senior fish and chips’ package, the adventurous ones venture into seniors golf, while the strong and fit ones engage in seniors helping seniors program, some go into seniors job, and those who tend to prolong their lives, do the seniors keep fit, there is also the senior quiz, seniors three-night cruise, seniors gulf tour. To get to these places, some measures have been put in place by the government to simplify their movements, through seniors’ bus passes, travel insurance, car insurance, and rail card for easy movement.

7. Food Seniors Like to Eat

Comfort foods that are easy to chew and digest, like soups, stews, and casseroles, are popular among seniors. Nutrient-rich meals that are also flavorful can help maintain their health and appetite, while sweet and savoury for those who have been diagnosed with dementia. When meat is involved in their meal, always make it tender and easy to consume, because they most likely have dentures (false teeth) in their mouth, you can’t have them stressing their teeth.

8. Songs Seniors Like to Sing

Songs from the 40s, 50s, and 60s, as well as hymns and classic tunes, are often favourites. Singing can improve mood, and memory, and provide a sense of community when done in groups.

9. Senior Services and Activities

• Exercise Classes Near Me: Look for senior-friendly exercise classes like yoga, Zumba, or keep-fit classes that cater to varying levels of mobility and fitness.
• Senior Darts: A fun, low-impact game that can be enjoyed socially in senior centres or community halls.
• Senior Golf: Many seniors enjoy playing golf as it provides mild physical activity and a chance to socialize.
• Seniors Helping Seniors: Programs where seniors can volunteer or receive help from peers.
• Senior Jobs: Many seniors find part-time jobs or volunteer work to stay active and engaged.
• Senior Travel Insurance: Essential for covering health issues or trip cancellations.
• Senior Railcard: Offers discounted train travel for seniors in the UK.
• Senior Bus Pass: Provides free or discounted public transportation.
• Senior Snooker: A popular game that can be played at community centres.
• Senior Van Hire: Services for seniors who need transportation assistance.
• Senior Yoga: Offers gentle stretching and relaxation techniques.
• Senior Three-Night Cruise: A popular travel option for relaxation and exploration.
• Senior Crossword: Puzzles that provide mental stimulation.
• Senior Car Insurance: Policies tailored for older drivers, with their weaknesses in mind.

Now that we know a few things about Seniors, let’s continue to how we can safely clean the homes and spaces of Seniors.

• 1. Declutter with a pinch of permission: One thing that accompanies old age is the sentimental items that hold memories from decades and people far gone. People that old stories and love. As much as I would love to simply ask you to go on and declutter to make the walkway as free as possible for them, it is also sensible to declutter with their permission, before you make an elderly family member cry.

• Start by taking out unnecessary items that can be an obstacle, a trip or fall hazard, and which can restrict mobility. Please prioritize sentimental items before you get in trouble for getting rid of the love item late Grandpa got Grandma. Photos that jerk well memories should be seen, and you have to get ready to listen to these stories every time they flow.

• 2. Get Adaptive Cleaning Tools: For ease of use, adaptive cleaning tools should be a go-to source. Invest in them to simplify your cleaning tasks. One of these is the robotic vacuum cleaner which reduces physical stress and strain during daily cleaning on seniors. Lightweight vacuum cleaners, dusters with longer handles to let them reach far, and ergonomic mops can simplify cleaning tasks.
• 3. Easily Accessible storage spaces: For every storage solution you decide on, always consider the ease of accessibility. low shelves,pull-out drawers, and labelled containers will help access things, especially daily needs.

• Secondly, organise items in ways that will not require excessive reaching and bending, since we are dealing with older folks whose backs and joints are likely to hurt. Lastly, use transparent containers for easy scan through and taking away the need to open to confirm what it is.

• 4. Ensure Bathroom Safety: To avoid unpleasant falls and accidents around the, ensure that grab bars are installed on the walls to the toilet and bathtub. Get non-slip mats at the bathroom and base of the bathtub to ensure safety.

• 5. Embrace Smart Home Technology: Smart technology provides convenience to cleaning tasks, it simplifies your daily life and cleaning is not exempted. People use voice-activated devices like Alexa, smart thermostats, a lighting system that comes on after a clap of hands, remotes, and smart cleaning devices that can clean up on your command. This is right for ageing homeowners who will need constant reminders and constant assistance with things.

• 6. Establish a Routine Maintenance Plan: When these seniors and their smart technologies clean as much as they can within a period, then just like everyone else, a proper cleaning that involves all around the house, should be scheduled to have a thorough cleaning by breaking down a huge cleaning task into smaller and easier ones that are manageable by the seniors.

• 7. Prioritise Senior-Friendly Household Items: When choosing household items for seniors, it shouldn’t only be about the aesthetics but the functionality for the end users who in this case are the seniors. The focus should be on the comfort and the ease of movement around, in and out of it. Some furniture comes with little storage space that can house daily used items, which will not require back-and-forth movement.

• 8. Avoid Toxic Cleaning Solutions: Considering the occupants of the home, it is only wise to use eco-friendly cleaning solutions that won’t affect the home occupants and the environment afterwards. Avoid products with strong smell that are capable of irritating the skin, eyes, and the nose.

• 9. Involve trusted people: Friends and family members, professional caregivers or cleaners, neighbours and the constant faces in their everyday lives should be involved in purchasing their cleaning products and cleaning process, as this will help them know when something is off about the house occupants.
• This helps the community sense that every elderly person living alone should have, should there be an emergency. So when there has been a toilet accident, this can easily be noticed and sorted.

• 10. Adjustable home: When it comes to the homes of seniors, always bear in mind that adjustment will be a reoccurring need all through the ageing and passing stages, so, remember to have the word ‘adaptability’ as you design the home.

• Furniture should have wheels, the ability to adjust their height and weight, and floors that can easily be accessible, with ample space for movement by foot, walking sticks/cane, wheelchairs and Zimmer frame. Pathways shouldn’t be used for storage, they should be clear of obstacles and trip hazards.

• The home should be able to have doors that open wider, ramps, and handrails to enable balance and prevent falls, and together they create a home that encourages independent living.

In conclusion, creating a clean, safe and healthy home for seniors, requires some thoughtful analysis, which considers individual needs and health conditions.

Using tools to encourage independent living, by providing movable furniture with wheels, and adjustable heights and widths, carrying with it some storage space that limits the unnecessary back and forth for Seniors, and easily controlled smart cleaning devices which reduce their stress and stains, bringing them comfort and less help in their homes.

They maintain a beautiful sense of community living as they retain dignity and independence in their ageing stage in a familiar, clean and healthy space that they can happily call home.