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Ideas on How to Clean for the Elderly & Handicapped

Elderly and handicapped individuals have unique needs for their care and cleanliness of their homes. Being responsible for their care, you must ensure that their home is safe for them to move around in and that their homes are free from any environmental dangers. For the elderly and handicapped, these needs are more than comforts, they are necessary for a safe and healthy living environment.

  1. Open Walkways

    • The elderly and handicapped have needs that are unique to their condition. These include their need for a clean walking space between areas of their home that are free from clutter, reducing the chance for them to trip and fall in their homes. Walk the high traffic paths of their home, such as the area from their bedroom to the bathroom, living room and kitchen. Make sure these paths are clear from clutter. Remove any obstructions that could trip or wound them, including upturned corners of area rugs, excess furniture, or inconvenient decorations.

    Floor Cleaning

    • Tile and hardwood flooring pose a unique danger to the elderly and handicapped. These floors can be slick, especially if you clean them with certain products. Select floor cleaning products that are advertised as "no slip" products. Use these on all floor tiles and hardwood flooring in their home. After you clean their floors, remain in their home until all of the floors are dry. Once dry, walk the floors yourself and make sure that they are not slippery or still wet.

    Telephone Access

    • Clean the areas around telephones and medicines well and make sure that there are no obstructions near either. Place chairs near all telephones and medicine that are not already sitting next to seating. Install additional telephones in their home, specifically near areas where they spend time, such as their favorite chair in the living room or next to their bed. This ensures that they will not have to travel far when the phone rings and that they can reach a phone if they require emergency assistance.

    Dangerous Insects

    • Most insects are not life threatening, but they can reduce the quality of living for patients. Some insects can pose a direct danger to the elderly and handicapped, such as bees or wasps. These bugs have painful stings that can disorient an elderly or handicapped patient and cause accidents. Walk the perimeter of the individual's home, looking for nests of dangerous bugs. Apply a bug resistant as needed to reduce the existence of future bugs in or around their home.

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