Some of the key tasks in your senior’s life can help you to spot when daily life is becoming a little more than challenging for her. Laundry is just one of those situations. Your senior’s methods for handling laundry can be an indicator that you need to be looking at a variety of issues for her.
Newer Machines Can Be Complicated to Operate
If your elderly family member has a newer machine, these usually have a variety of different features and programs. They might even be a little more complicated than what your elderly family member is used to using. Even simple machines may not feel as intuitive for her as the ones that she might have been used to in the past.
Machines May not Have Loud Enough Alarms
Another drawback to newer machines is that the alarms and alerts can be a lot lower in volume than your senior is used to. That can mean that she isn’t able to hear them or that she becomes frustrated by using the machines. This is especially a problem if her laundry room is in the basement or is otherwise difficult for her to get to easily.
It Might Be Difficult to Use the Right Amount of Laundry Products
This can sound like a small issue, but it might be more difficult for your senior to measure out laundry products than even she realizes. The measuring cups for laundry detergent are difficult to read anyway, but if her eyesight is giving her trouble, that makes it even more of a guess. Also, if she’s losing muscle tone, she can have trouble with pouring out liquid laundry products.
Doing Laundry Can Wear Her Out
Just the act of doing laundry can be exhausting for your senior. Hefting even a small laundry basket can be heavier than she thinks and it changes her center of gravity, which could put your senior at risk of falling. Afterward, she’s got to move the laundry from one machine to another, fold the dry clothes, and put them away. It’s a lot to do and your senior might find she spreads the task out over hours or even days.
She May Put Off Doing Laundry at All
Some of these reasons can cause your elderly family member to just put off doing laundry until she can’t avoid it. The worst-case scenario might even be that she stops doing laundry completely and just goes and buys new clothes. That causes a whole other set of problems for her.
If laundry is becoming more difficult for your senior to handle, other things are, too. Having help from home care providers can be a crucial step in freeing up her time and energy for her to do the things that she loves to do.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Orinda, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.
As your senior parent’s caregiver, you’re the one most likely to step in and offer her assistance. But if she’s not excited about having your help, you might find that the two of you argue about what the right answer is for her.