Maybe they have not reached this point yet, but they
want to make their personal surroundings more inviting.
If they are now living in an “empty nest,” it may be
time for them to let go of some things from the past and
enjoy their homes as all their own.
If you are a senior and
you need assistance sorting through a lifetime of
household goods, you can call on the services of a
companion aide, or caregiver, like those from North
Bay’s Sequoia Senior Solutions, to help you with this
kind of home maintenance. Like many seniors, you might
want to have your adult children do their part in
sorting through the family home as well. Then you can
move on to the task of organizing your belongings, and
creating a safe, happy home.
The first step to an organized home is not allowing your
home to act as a storage facility for the entire family.
Just because your children grew up in the home you are
now living in does not mean it is acceptable for them to
leave clutter and store their childhood mementos
forever. At some point, adult children are going to need
to sort through those items and take responsibility for
their belongings. If parents just let items build up
over the years and fail to teach their children to sort
and replace, they should accept some responsibility for
the mountain of toys or boxes or school assignments that
are filling the attic or basement. However, the sooner
these things are examined and assigned new homes, the
better the quality of life a senior can enjoy.
Important Papers
Once a senior has the family storing area under control,
they need to conquer their own personal stash. Ensure
all important documents are in order, stored together,
and easy to find. As hard as it may be to admit, family
members may need to find this information on short
notice. The better and more sensibly organized it is,
the less stressful the search will be during an already
difficult time. If you have a desk or filing cabinet
jammed with all sorts of loose papers, take an afternoon
to sort through it. Let a family member know where
things are once you have sorted and organized them.
Safety First
It is also important to get the general clutter in the
home under control. As you age, it can be more difficult
to navigate even the most familiar areas of your life.
The last thing a senior wants is to trip and fall during
a routine trip across the living room or bedroom. Make
sure there are clear walkways throughout the home. Also
examine shelves and closets to make sure boxes and
objects are not stacked high enough to collapse. A
simple head injury could have serious effects for a
senior. There is no sense in inviting setbacks to your
health when you have enough to worry about.
Organizing and cleaning your home should provide you
with a sense of pride. Since a lot of your time will be
spent in your home during your retirement and golden
years, it is important this area be comfortable and
inviting. This is especially true if you are choosing
between your own home and an assisted living facility.
If you and your loved ones are considering moving to
another location, but you would rather remain in your
own home, keeping it tidy and clean is a persuasive
argument. Seniors who neglect their homes are more
likely to prompt their loved ones to think they cannot
handle the responsibilities of home ownership. This is
not to say your home must be sparkling clean at all
times. However, you should be able to keep up with daily
chores with relative ease, or be willing to accept the
assistance of an in-home caregiver.
A clean home is an important part of a physically and
mentally healthy life. If you are challenged by the
responsibility of keeping your home in good order,
consider Sequoia Senior Solutions to help you maintain a
pleasant, organized home. In addition to hospice
caregiving, transportation, and help with household
chores, these caregivers can assist you with organizing
your life and your home.
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