Senior Housekeeping and other torture

Caregivers are often see as people who have an easy time staying home and doing a little cleaning, sitting on the couch with mom or dad and watching TV or running around town doing a few errands here and there.

Yeah! Right! If you know any Caregivers or are a Caregiver yourself you know that the idea of a glorified homemaker is so far from the true work of a Caregiver that it is laughable. In fact, when it comes to housekeeping anyway - that is often the last thing that gets done - if it gets done at all.

And that brings me to the topic of today's blog! Senior Organizing Services.

Everyone ages and as we do the day-to-day tasks that were once fairly easy to do (even those we would have preferred not to do) become more and more difficult. Backaches, arthritis, and other conditions make the physical aspects of day-to-day cleaning challenging and for some the cognitive and emotional factors of maintaining things can start to overwhelm. I am often called to the homes of aging loved ones who have not wanted to have others butting into their affairs but have themselves been unable to keep up with the cleaning, organizing and other tasks that make life function smoothly. Their homes are sometimes just cluttered, bills unopened and refrigerators needing to be cleaned out and freshened up. Other homes have reached a point where just getting in the front door can be an adventure and actually living in the home has reached an impractical, unsafe of unhealthy state.

No matter the condition of the home, the state of financial disarray or the real need to organize, inventory and restore a home to a livable state - I am almost always able to create a plan that will keep your loved one at home. It is not easy and it is not inexpensive. Although The Caregiver Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, there are fees for various services. The most common fee is for daily financial management.

With daily financial management The Foundation actually becomes the financial authority for an aging person. Income is received into properly maintained and documented checking accounts or other accounts as needed and bills are paid by The Foundation from these accounts. Most mail is re-routed to the Foundation and notices go out to all suppliers, repairman, landlords, finance companies, physicians etc. to inform them of the new arrangements and provide them with copies of the authorization allowing us to perform these tasks. This service reduces the possibility of senior exploitation and abuse and helps to preserve family harmony by taking the responsibility of this area off the shoulders of family members.

Another common service that The Caregiver Foundation of America provides is household organization. This extensive cleaning and organizing sorts through papers and files and organizes them. Kitchens are rearranged to allow commonly used items to be at a reachable height with only storage items being housed in overhead cupboards. Outdated food items are cleaned up and inspection of appliances and equipment reduces the potential for bodily harm. When substantial repair is need to structures, electrical systems, plumbing and refrigeration systems, TCFOA arranges for licensed, insured contractors to perform the repairs under our supervision and guidance. When we are finished "restoring" a home it is in a livable, neat and clean condition. We then often arrange for on-going service to be provided for your loved one to keep the home maintained and provide supplemental services such as laundry, meal preparation, errand running and other tasks. 

If you would like us to take a look at your loved one's situation, call us or email today and let's get together and see what can be arranged to keep your loved one at home and happy! call 808-625-3782 or 808-722-1903 or email thecaregiverfoundation@yahoo.com

Posted by The Caregiver Foundation of America at 11:32 AM