You're Caring for Your Parents, But What About Their Home?
June 27, 2018
When you think about home care for the elderly, you're thinking of cooking meals, making sure they get to and from stores and appointments, and helping them with housework. You might remind them to take medications or check insulin levels. People do tend to focus on their parents' health and well-being when planning care.
Home Care in Aptos CA: Commonly Overlooked Home Safety Issues
There's something that's often overlooked. Have you considered what your mom and dad's house needs? If their house has problems that haven't been addressed, it raises concerns. Your parents may not be as safe as you think they are.
Common Issues That Go Unchecked.
When was the last time you checked your parents' exhaust hose from the dryer to the outside of the house? According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost 14,700 fires between 2010 and 2014 were linked to a clothes dryer. Of those fires, about 1 in 3 was the direct result of people not cleaning their dryer's lint trap and/or exhaust hose.
A clogged gutter will cause water to back-up and get behind the fascia. The water damage can lead to dry rot, mold, and mildew. Gutters need to be cleaned at least once a year. If your parents have a lot of trees nearby, you may need to clear gutters every few months. If it's too hard to keep up with, it's better to remove the gutters than to ignore them.
Septic systems require care, too. Most households need the septic tank pumped out every three years. If there are several people in the household, you might need the tank pumped more often. If your parents have a newer system, they likely have an effluent filter. This filter blocks chunks of waste from getting into the pipe that leads to the leach field. The effluent filter needs to be cleaned every six months.
When was the last time you went down to your mom and dad's basement? If there's no laundry room down there, it's unlikely you make regular trips downstairs. The basement is prone to seeping water after a rapid snowmelt and during heavy rain. It's also the place you'll notice water leaks. Water will follow a pipe down to the point the pipe curves or reaches the exterior water lines.
Home Care Services Cover the Rest.
Once your parents' home is safe, caregivers can take care of helping with the other tasks. Caregivers help your parent with meal preparation and medication reminders. They can do the laundry and light housework throughout the week. Caregivers also offer companionship.