Fall is a great time for deep cleaning and organizing holiday decor for seniors.
Fall and spring are common times of the year for an extra deep clean. Many seniors would benefit from this as well, although aging may require some assistance for this to take place safely! Cooler air, open windows, and upcoming holidays are great motivators for participation. For me the holiday excitement has been great for providing extra energy to clean windows, dust the hard to get places, deep clean the fridge, and steam the carpets. Making a routine of reorganizing and cleaning out is extremely helpful, especially for the health and wellness of seniors. Fall is pre-flu season, and a great time to decrease dust and germs in the home as well. Don’t miss the Freebie printable checklist at end of blog! 🙂
Areas to clean regularly to improve senior safety and wellness.
Fall and holiday cleaning for seniors may require extra thought and planning. Medication organization and prevention of falls are two of the greatest health concerns for seniors. Although a clean environment is good for health, and deep cleaning windows and floors is important, a deep clean for seniors could also include improving safety in the home. Reassess the accessibility and safety of hallways, bathrooms, home entrances and sitting areas. Make sure to discard expired food and medications and repair or throw out unsafe furniture and equipment. Take time to reorganize and restock the refrigerator and pantry, medicine cabinet, bedside and living area nooks, as well as bathroom and kitchen counters. Sanitize all door and cabinet handles, walkers, canes, wheelchairs or handheld items. Stock up on memory games, reading materials, and health and wellness organization tools such as med list, calendars and logs for eating, exercise, gratitude journals, and calendars of activity and medical visits.
Fall cleaning and safety items for seniors:
Health and wellness organizational handouts (would also make a great Christmas gift for Grandma!)
Bathroom stand to help you keep a bin of wipes close by (affiliate link)
Reachers (affiliate link)
Cane tips(affiliate link)
Magnifier with light great for sorting medication, reading labels, crafts. (affiliate link)
If you are a senior deep cleaning your own home, you may want to pay attention to your own health as you work. Allow yourself more time to perform duties than you did in the past. Take rest breaks, and stay hydrated during your workday. Use good body mechanics with lifting, bending, reaching and squatting. Likewise, ask for help with activities that could put you at risk of falling: climbing onto chairs or carrying heavy items up or down stairs. Make a list during your fall cleaning of any equipment or adjustments needed to improve safety with walking, transfers (getting up out of chairs) and bathroom safety. These items could turn into helpful holiday gifts! Fall can be a great time to restart and repost your exercises, a walking program, add memory games, and renew healthy eating habits.
Cleaning and decorating safety for the holidays:
1 Assess the pathway from the car to the front door. Cleaning and sweeping it is great, but also consider safety issues! If there are steps to enter, a rail or grab bar will improve safety. Likewise, rugs at the door should not be loose or mobile. Make sure the locks and light bulbs work well.
2 Look at the main areas of living: bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and “TV room”. There should be a clear path to get to and from all of those areas. It’s great to wash blankets, vacuum couches, and fluff pillows. However, it is even better to also remove loose blankets, dragging cords, scattered magazines and clothes lying around the floor near the bed or chair. Make sure the lights are easy to access and working, update bulbs as needed. Organize the side tables and toss expired toiletries and meds, and add a few memory games.
3 Wipe down the kitchen cabinets and counters, but also check the furniture that you sit in. Make sure the chairs being used are safe and supportive, and not too low. Armrests are helpful for sitting balance support and improved ability to get up safely. Remove unsteady chairs, and replace any low or mushy chair that is difficult to get up out of.
4 Check placement of frequently used kitchen and bathroom tools so they are easy to access, to limit reaching and bending which may contribute to falls. Make sure to search for and discard old food from the pantry, fridge, and freezer! Update emergency numbers and medication list, and toss expired or unneeded medications and out of date over the counter meds. The grandkids who have opened 10 year old cookie boxes will thank you! (True story, my son! Thankfully no food poisoning!!!)
5 Add a toilet paper/ wipe stand to help you keep a bin of wipes close by for better hygiene. Likewise, a new toothbrush (an electric one for less shoulder pain) and new shaving supplies might be helpful. (affiliate link)
6 There are many varieties of seats and supports to use in your bathroom to improve safety. I highly recommend pursing an individualized assessment from an Occupational Therapist if you are struggling with bathroom safety.
7 Don’t forget about checking the fit and safety of hearing aids, safety jewelry and their battery supply. Ensure any glasses are updated and clean. Discard old worn out shoes and slippers- check the bottoms of all the shoes for wear. Get rid of or hem clothing that drapes at the feet. Check the reachers to make sure they still work and have a few spread throughout the home. (affiliate link)
8 Check safety of devices like walkers, and cane tips periodically for wear. (affiliate link)
9 Consolidate and decrease the overwhelming amount of boxed decorations from years past. Pass down heavy or bulky items that you no longer use. Display easier to handle meaningful decor. Emphasize reusable (clear plastic?) containers that can be refilled and repurposed with multiple holiday decor throughout the year. Consider fake candles for re-use and safety. A small outdoor flag holder might be easier to use and store than a large or heavy lawn ornament. Use items that are clear, white, black or wood, that can be filled or covered with a variety of holiday decor through the year- less moving and storage needed. Please get help for heavy items and climbing. I have had many senior clients who have fallen and become injured from using ladders and step stools near the holiday season!
Super Fall Cleaning and Decorating freebie checklist for seniors:
Although I am a physical therapist, I am not your personal physical therapist. This information is for educational purposes only. Please see the medical disclaimer.
Download this free printable checklist with everything I could think of for fall cleaning for seniors!
More holiday and safety posts:
A Safe Family Holiday Visit for Seniors
Healthy Holiday Habits for Seniors
Surviving Holidays in Healthcare
What else would you add to a senior fall cleaning and decorating checklist? For occasional emails and a FREEBIE printable starter pack for senior care organization, subscribe to the CHT email list:
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