The Importance of Maintaining a Tidy and Clean Home
The homes of elderly individuals require not only cleanliness but also organization and a minimal amount of objects. This approach provides dual benefits for seniors: firstly, it prevents them from feeling lost and frustrated due to difficulty in locating desired items; secondly, the clear space within the home facilitates mobility and helps prevent trips or falls.
Physical Limitations Are Directly Related to Disorganization
As people age, mobility and vision often become reduced. These limitations lead seniors to seek ways to keep necessary items within easy reach, avoiding the need to raise their arms, use a stepladder, or bend down. As a result, many place everything they need on countertops, kitchen tables, sofas, and other accessible surfaces, often accumulating bags throughout the house.
For example, kitchen rolls and milk cartons may end up on the kitchen table, and toilet paper rolls on the bathroom counter.
The Disadvantages of a Disorganized Home
The downsides of having scattered and disorganized items around the house are numerous: it becomes harder to clean, leading to an accumulation of dust and poor hygiene. Cluttered floors increase the risk of the elderly person not noticing obstacles, tripping, and falling. Over time, they may also forget they have already purchased certain items and buy them again, resulting in unnecessary expenses.
Moreover, visits from family and friends may become less frequent, as a cluttered home can feel uncomfortable for visitors.
The Challenge of Keeping an Elderly Person’s Home Tidy
Keeping a senior’s home tidy and organized can be challenging, as many elderly individuals are emotionally attached to possessions accumulated over decades. They also like to have daily essentials close at hand.
It is important to gently encourage them to let go of what is no longer needed and to organize their space.
How to Encourage the Elderly to Tidy Up Their Home
Here are some arguments you can use to help an elderly person part with unnecessary items and tidy their home:
• Highlight the danger of falls: Cluttered spaces restrict movement and increase the risk of tripping. This is a strong argument, as falls are a major concern for elderly people.
• Suggest storing cherished items in boxes: Valued objects that are rarely used can be placed safely in boxes, protecting them and keeping them visible. Offer to help sort and pack the items together.
• Organize everyday essentials within easy reach: Make daily necessities easily accessible to avoid unnecessary purchases and promote savings — something most elderly individuals value due to their experiences living through harder economic times.
You can also buy shelving units or practical storage solutions to keep things organized yet accessible.
• Emphasize the health benefits: A clutter-free home is easier to clean, helping to prevent allergies and infectious diseases.
• Remind them that a tidy home is welcoming: A clean, organized home encourages visits from family and friends, reducing loneliness.
KindCare Provides Professional Organization and Cleaning Services
If you need support with organizing and cleaning an elderly relative’s home, KindCare is ready to help.
We offer Assistants specialized in tidying and cleaning services.
Contact us to learn more.