Improve your Elderly loved one’s laundry process with these great tips!

Making the Laundry Room Elder-Friendly

Friends have told me that the only way to make doing laundry any kind of friendly is to hire someone else to do it!  I suppose that’s true – although I happen to like to do the laundry.  (Yes. . . I know . . . weird!)  But the point is, as people get older, there are things they can do to make doing some of the every day stuff easy enough to continue doing – thus staying active and engaged.  (Also something to think about when you’re creating your retirement home.)  Here are some suggestions:

1. The basement of the home may not be the best place to do laundry any more (especially if they’re lugging laundry).   It may be time to move the washer/dryer to either the main floor or the bedroom level (which would cut down even more schlepping up and down stairs).
2. If you do move the laundry area, you may want to consider a stackable washer and dryer.  Chances are your aging loved one has a lot less laundry so they don’t need as big a washer or dryer.  Plus stacked machines mean less bending and take up less space giving them more options for relocation.
3. If you can’t move the laundry area out of the basement and carrying dirty laundry down the stairs is too much, you might consider putting in a laundry chute.
4. Whether you move the laundry area or not, put in either shelves or a storage unit as close as possible.  Try to keep storage units no higher than eye level to lessen the chances that your aging loved will need to stand on a stepping stool or hurt herself trying to reach items.
5. I love the huge bottles of laundry products (although I have to plan ahead to carry them home from the grocery store!) but make sure you also have a small, refillable bottle so they’re easy to pour.
6. The cap of many of the laundry detergent bottles are intended to be used as the measuring cup/dispenser.  Unfortunately, if the liquid is the same color as the cap, you can’t see the lines.  Plus, some machines take half of the manufacturer’s recommended amount of detergent so even if you can see the lines, they would be wrong!  Therefore, mark a “fill-to line” on the inside of each bottle cap or measuring cup with a contrasting magic marker so the correct amount can be easily seen.
7. Keep the big bottles in a plastic bin (to avoid drips) on a low shelf or the floor and put laundry detergent, dryer sheets, bleach, stain removers, spray starch and other laundry items on a shelf at about waist level where they can be easily seen and used. 
8. Keep the table/counter top level surface for folding or even ironing.  No space for a table or shelf?  See if there is space for a shelf or ironing board that folds down when it’s not in use.
9. Label all bottles with big letters.  Indicate not only what it is and what it’s for but also what should be done in case it’s spilled on material, skin, etc.
10. If the laundry has to go any distance, consider getting a wheeled cart.  This is a picture of the one in my building’s laundry room and I love it!  (Note the bar to hang stuff on.)
11. Temperature settings are hard to find and/or read on most washers and dryers.  Time was I would just wash everything with the “white” setting (hot, hot, hot) but now I actually use different settings depending on what I’m washing.  That means I have to read the (tiny) setting information for every load.  Unfortunately, now that the washing machines are getting older, the information is wearing off.  To simplify everyone’s life, write out washer and dryer settings for the different types of material.  Then laminate and hang near the machines.  You may also want to mark (and label) settings directly on the machine.  Nail polish works great!
12. Dials can be difficult to turn – especially if the machine is old.  An easy fix is to change the dial to one easier to grip.  I Googled “senior-friendly washing machine dials” and found http://www.bizrate.com/washer-dryer-accessories/washer-knobs/ – but there may well be others.
13. Create a checklist of things to remember to do before and after every load such as cleaning the lint filter, unplugging the iron, etc.
14. And finally . . . look at other safety tools such as an iron that automatically shuts off if it’s not used for a certain period of time and a timer that’s easy to set and loud!

Have any other suggestions for making the laundry room elder-friendly?  If so, please do share.  Either email me at Barbara@AgeWiseLiving.com or add them to this blog.  Thanks!

Are you struggling with eldercare issues?   Even if you think that parent is way too stubborn, or that you and your sibs will never be able to work together, I urge you not to wait for a crisis to develop.  Check out my website and then call me toll-free (877) AGE-WISE or email me at Barbara@AgeWiseLiving.com for a complimentary “get acquainted” conversation.  Let’s talk before a crisis!

Tagged as: elder care, elder-friendly, eldercare, elderly, laundry, senior