Guide to Light Housekeeping Services for Seniors
One of the most common home care services requested by seniors is assistance with housekeeping.
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as a clean house provides a safe and comfortable sanctuary. Plus, when it comes to housekeeping services for senior citizens, there are so many options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a spring deep-cleaning service, or a daily tidy-up, home care agencies offer it all.
In this article, we will cover the various housekeeping options available for seniors to choose from, as well as the pros of having a professional caregiver visit regularly in order to keep your home in tip-top shape.
Why is Housekeeping Helpful for Seniors?
The truth is: Many seniors have a difficult time keeping their homes clean and clutter free.
This is simply because, as we age, our bodies aren’t able to perform as many physical activities as they could when we were younger. Chores such as mopping floors, dusting surfaces, scrubbing toilets, vacuuming and organization can grow to be quite physically exhausting, even dangerous, for senior citizens. In fact, when household chores and personal care present a problem, seniors may be placed in assisted living facilities, simply because senior living may require daily living assistance with household tasks.
And, as we mentioned previously, many elderly individuals may be resistant to the idea of moving out of their long-time homes. It can be hard for families, especially children of the elderly, to balance what the senior wants and what would be in their best interest.
However, there is no need to worry. House cleaning services provide seniors the assistance they need with the household chores that have become impossible to perform.
A home cleaning service can significantly alleviate the stress of keeping up a clean and functional household. By hiring a housekeeping service, seniors can stay in their homes for longer. In addition, these days there are a plethora of different types of house cleaning services available to seniors. The children of elderly persons can choose specialized services to best meet the needs of their elderly parents. No one wants to have to see a family member living in a cluttered or dirty home, so a good house cleaning service can go a long way.
About Senior Housekeeping Services
Although there are a wide variety of services offered to seniors in regards to housekeeping, the main objective of investing in such services, is so seniors can remain in their homes longer, while ensuring the home is clean, safe and comfortable.
Below, you’ll find several characteristics that senior cleaning services have in common – all of which should give you peace of mind in regards to your decision to hire housekeeping help.
Housekeeping & Home Cleaning Training
Top-notch cleaning service companies spend the time to train their employees prior to sending them out in the workforce. In addition, these employees often receive continuous updates regarding customer feedback – what they are doing well and what they could work on. Home cleaning training includes teaching various washing instructions for different fabrics, as well as how and where to use certain cleaning products within a home. Employees are taught about the harmful effects of chemicals used in major cleaning products, so that they can be used correctly. Cleaners should also be trained on how to handle expired foods and where to dispose of waste products.
Convenient & Flexible Scheduling
Luckily, home cleaning service providers are in the business of pleasing their customers. So, most companies offer an extremely flexible schedule for their clients to choose from. Another point to keep in mind, is that a good senior housekeeping service understands that their employees are coming into someone’s home. That means particular placement of objects and/or preferred cleaning products should be noted during the first few service visits, so that the client can feel comfortable knowing their needs are being met.
Cost of Housekeeping Services for Seniors
When it comes to choosing whether or not to hire a home cleaning service, the factor of cost plays a significant role in your decision.
The vast majority of seniors in the U.S. live on a fixed income, often leaving little to no room for maid services. However, housekeeping service companies realize this issue, and most offer individual quotes based off of which particular cleaning services their client needs. In addition, you should be offered various payment methods and plans available through the cleaning company – making these affordable housekeeping services for seniors.
For a lot of seniors, once a week lawn mowing or laundry services are sufficient. For others, daily housekeeping is preferred. Or, maybe signing up for a deep spring clean, or twice a year cleaning by a team of professional cleaners is exactly what your senior loved one needs. The cost of housekeeping varies significantly, depending on what chores need to be done. Seniors can request as minimal, or as extensive of a housekeeping package as they would like.
Are Housekeeping Services Safe?
Understandably, some loved ones worry about the safety of their senior when it comes to strangers entering their homes to provide home cleaning services. Seniors themselves may be wary of these situations as well.
What if this stranger is a thief? If they’re cleaning your things, will they be careful not to break precious keepsakes? If I don’t like their cleaning style, can I ask them to change their methods?
These are all common concerns that may arise for both seniors and their loved ones as they consider hiring a housekeeper. Although reasonable, these concerns can be easily addressed by selecting a home cleaning service provider that can provide documentation proving that all their employees have been screened and background checks came back clean prior to their official hire. Another way to put your mind at ease, is to request reviews left by previous clients regarding the home cleaning services they received through said company. You can also find reviews online, where clients leave honest feedback about the housekeeping company you’re considering.
Keep in mind, most cleaning services do their absolute best to assure the safety of senior clients by taking all necessary steps during their hiring process.
Background Checks
As previously mentioned, the best way to ensure the reputation of a housekeeping service company is to ask them directly about their new-hire screening process. Remember – all quality cleaning providers will conduct thorough background checks, including reviewing criminal history, in order to weed out any potentially bad employees. This process also helps companies avoid hiring thieves or scam artists.
Unfortunately, there are too many scam artists taking advantage of senior citizens these days. An honest housekeeping service company will perform all necessary screening, background checks, and drug tests prior to hiring their employees – and will have the documentation to prove it.
Bonded & Licensed
Checking if the housekeeping service company conducts criminal record and vulnerable persons checks on their employees regularly, is another way to ensure you’re working with an honest company. Any profession that does not require a specialized education or degree, comes along with a greater potential to attract dropouts or unreliable persons to apply for the position(s). By making sure all employees are bonded, insured, and able to clear a security check, service companies avoid hiring an unreliable and/or unethical person.
Senior Housekeeping Services Offered
Keeping and maintaining a clean house can help seniors remain in their homes for a longer period of time. By accepting housekeeping services, seniors can live independently in a safe and clutter-free space. Caregivers can come and tidy up a seniors home once a week, or several times a week, determined on a case-by-case basis.
Some common senior housekeeping services include:
- Day-to-day tidying up
- Vacuuming
- Sanitizing countertops, stoves, and ovens
- Dusting surfaces
- Thoroughly cleaning kitchen appliances
- Cleaning bathroom(s)
- Sweeping and mopping floors
- Organizing closets, cupboards, etc.
- Taking out the trash
- Laundry and ironing clothes
- Polishing silverware and other dish sets
- Washing bedding and making the bed(s)
- Assistance with pet care
Another great home care service offered to seniors include checking the fridge to make sure there is enough fresh food, checking medication levels and re-ordering those that are running low, and cooking meals (as well as meal prep) to help make the seniors’ life easier.
Companionship & Home Cleaning Services
When seniors receive hired home cleaning services, they may (and often do!) benefit from the social aspect of these interactions. Companion care gives both material and emotional help because someone is always available to help.
Housekeeping not only provides seniors with a clean and presentable home, but companionship with the housekeepers, as well. There are plenty of elderly service providers who will match the assigned housekeeper’s personality with the senior client, to establish the best possible scenario, and possible chance of friendship between the two.
House cleaning caregivers can perform additional tasks, such as running errands, taking clients to their doctor appointments, checking when medications require refill, ensuring the fridge and pantry are full of fresh foods, and even prepare healthy meals. Companion care is vital for helping seniors and others who need a helping hand.