If your elderly loved one is committed to staying in their home for as long as possible before moving into an assisted living facility, there are a few things around the house that they’ll likely need help with. While many of the basic chores and maintenance can be done if they’re feeling up to it, there are some things that are going to be inherently dangerous for them to continue taking on.
To help you know where to draw the line to keep them safe, here are three things in the home that your elderly loved one shouldn’t be doing anymore.
Deep Cleaning
While it’s likely perfectly fine for your elderly loved one to keep doing light cleaning around their home, when it comes to deep cleaning, it’s best to leave these chores to someone else.
Depending on the physical health and mobility of your elderly loved one, having to stand for extended periods of time, scrub things, get down on the floor, or use potentially harmful chemicals could be very dangerous for them. These kinds of things can put a lot of stress and pressure on the body, which could cause your loved one to get hurt. So to avoid this, it’s best if you can help them with taking care of the periodic deep cleaning. That, or you could help them hire someone to come in and do the deep cleaning for them on a regular basis.
Anything Involving Step Ladders
For many people, old age often brings along issues with balance. And when someone has a hard time balancing, they really shouldn’t be climbing up on anything, as there is a good chance that they could fall. For this reason, you should help your elderly loved one understand that they should no longer do anything around the house that requires them to climb up on a ladder or step stool.
Because elderly people often lose bone mass as they age, falling, even from just a short height, can be very detrimental to their health. So to avoid this, it’s best to have your elderly loved one call you or someone else if they need something that’s too high for them to reach on their own.
Big Outdoor Projects
Even if your elderly loved one enjoys being outside and taking care of their property, there are some outdoor projects that it’s best for them to stop doing as they get older.
In general, doing yard work can be very hard on the body. Because of this, your elderly loved one shouldn’t take on all of this responsibility anymore. Additionally, if there is an outdoor project that’s going to require the use of power tools, it’s likely best for these projects to be left to someone else as well.
If you have an elderly loved one that you’re worried about doing too much at home, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know where to set some boundaries with them.