Learning how to maintain a clean, safe and healthy environment will be explained in this section.
Environmental cleanliness enhances the lifestyle and creates a pleasant and safe environment for both the caregiver and the senior receiving care services. A tidy home environment creates a happy home and eliminates the chaos caused by disorganization.
How Do You Maintain a Clean Environment:
Organize Care Tools
Keep Up With Daily Cleaning Tasks
Obtain Necessary Custom-Cleaning Materials for Special Care Needs
Create Daily and Weekly Cleaning Schedule
Cleanliness is contagious. If you keep yourself and the care environment neat and clean, everyone who visits will also want to keep the area neat and tidy, which will make the caregiver’s job much easier.
Standards of cleanliness indicate a sign of overall care provided. It will be a cause of concern if the care premises are not kept clean and in order.
To Maintain a Clean Environment:
Wash Soiled Clothing, Sheets, and Towels Immediately
Toss Disposable Gloves, Needles, and Wipes Into Trash
Remove Trash Daily (Take to Garbage Bin Outside)
Wash Dishes Immediately After Meals
Discard Mail and Newspapers
Clean Out Refrigerator Weekly
Be Sure Glasses, Plates, and Utensils are Sanitary
Maintain Clean Bathroom and Kitchen
Vacuum and Mop Floors at Least Weekly
Cleanliness for Safe Food Handling
Keep food properly cooled to avoid contamination with unclean surfaces and utensils and to keep bacteria from spreading. Be careful to keep food items separated as meat can contaminate other food items. Immediately place meat in the freezer or refrigerator when returning home from the grocery store or upon delivery. Cooking temperatures must be followed to destroy pathogens. Always handle any meat, such as fish, chicken, pork and beef, with extra care. Wash your hands and utensils before and after preparing meat, just as you do before and after cooking any other foods.
Using a food thermometer when cooking food on the grill or oven will help you confirm the food is heated to a high enough temperature to kill germs.Most bacteria cannot live above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Meat usually requires higher temperatures, such as whole chicken requiring at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Read Cooking Instructions and Use a Thermometer to Safely Prepare Meat.
Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating foods with harmful bacteria.
Watch Video from the Center for Disease Control on Food and Kitchen Safety:
Cleaning Products
Use special antiseptics and bleach to clean in order to eliminate germs, making allowances for any special allergies or preferences by the senior.
If an outside cleaning service is used, make a cleaning instruction list. Inform them of any special areas that are overused and need extra cleaning attention. Check to be sure everything is cleaned afterwards to maintain high quality.
Note: Kitchens and Bathrooms are Used the Most and Require Daily Cleaning Maintenance
Integrate Daily Cleaning Into Your Daily Care Plan Duties
Stay Organized. Create a space for all of the care tools you will be using so that everything has a place for you to find it and return it after use.
Tidy Up
As the saying goes, a messy house equals a messy mind. Less is sometimes better. Try to remove clutter from your work area and be mindful that you can more easily maintain a clean environment by being organized and getting rid of any unnecessary items. While you need to respect your client's home and lifestyle, you can make sure that the tools that you use are well organized and limit the items to only what is necessary.
Remember, a person’s home is their castle. Some seniors may have lived with extra “clutter” in their homes their entire lives while other seniors lived the minimalist lifestyle. You will not be able to change a senior’s style, but can assist them to maintain cleanliness and order.
💡 Tip Sheet
Create a Cleaning Schedule, Tidy Up Kitchens and Bathrooms after Each Use, Use the Right Cleaning Products, Organize Your Environment