Dust Off

At Trusted Transitions we manage moves for Seniors who are relocating, usually to smaller homes, often to Retirement Residences. When people hear this they often tell me that they, or their parents, will never leave their home…they are very happy there. I don’t try to talk them into moving. But I do point out the things that they should be thinking about if they intend to stay at home. The list often includes putting railings on stairs to prevent falls, ensuring that good meals are available to guarantee good nutrition, and arranging to have help for chores like gardening and snow removal to avoid overexertion.

When I moved a client last week I was reminded of another one of the most important things that needs to be done. And that is, regular, thorough cleanings of the home. When I first met this particular client her home looked impeccable. Tidy, bright, clean. But as we began to pack and move things, a very different story emerged. Everywhere that you couldn’t easily see, there was up to an inch of dust. Before long I was sneezing uncontrollably. Now dust isn’t “nice”, but worse than that it is incredibly unhealthy and can even be dangerous. Common household dust often contains many toxic elements and breathing them on an ongoing basis is not good. If you have any respiratory issues, dust will only make them worse.

Remember to vacuum under beds and other furniture. Dust inside cupboards and around all hidden surfaces. Check the tops of high places like tall lamps and furniture. Or have a quality cleaning firm come into the home for this thorough cleaning on a regular basis.

If you or your loved one are going to stay in your long-time home, you should be sure that it is a healthy, safe environment.