As the winter season ends, it’s time to brighten up your space. In the colder months, neglecting to care for your physical and mental health is easy, which can reflect in your space. If you’ve let your home get dark and dreary, you can benefit from a spring reset. Older People can make specific changes to their spaces to help ensure their emotional wellness and safety during the spring. Below are some ways older people can safely spruce up their home for the new season.

Spring Pantry Clean-Out

An important aspect of being healthy is your diet and nutrition. If you eat unhealthy meals, this can affect your body and energy level. In the winter, people – especially seniors – can be tempted to eat less to avoid cooking meals or prepare faster freezer meals due to convenience. This spring, make it a goal to eat healthier, home-cooked meals. Clean out the old, unhealthy foods in your pantry and add more nutritious ingredients for seniors. Options like beans, canned tuna, oatmeal, and quinoa are perfect for a senior’s pantry. Your CDPAP caregiver can help you shop for healthy food options this spring.

Add Some Life

Winter is often associated with being cold and lifeless. In the spring, bring that life back into your life by adding colorful plants and flowers to the home. If existing plants around the house have lost their life, consider repotting these into new, colorful pots. This also adds a sense of responsibility for seniors, encouraging them to get up every day and take care of another life. In addition, caring for plants helps emotional regulation and physical wellness. Add beautiful plants and flowers around the home this spring to make it feel warmer and more inviting.

“This also adds a sense of responsibility for older people, encouraging them to get up every day and take care of another life.”

De-Winterize

It’s common for an older person or paid caregiver to prepare their home for the winter by adding protective measures like weatherproofing and shoe trays. However, some of these can add unnecessary bulk around the house during the spring. They may create slip and fall risks. This spring, remove unnecessary mats and shoe trays. Instead, consider putting anti-slip tape on commonly used areas like stairs and entryways. This is especially important for spring months because of how rainy the season tends to be. Decluttering an older persons home is essential for safety and wellbeing.

Spring Clean with a Home Health Aide

Transitioning between seasons can be difficult, especially as an older person. If you or a loved one wants a more seamless spring cleaning, working with a home health aide could be beneficial. An aide doesn’t have to be an unfamiliar face. Medicaid offers a program called CDPAP, where you can get money for caring for a family member. It requires an application but once approved, you can help your loved one prepare their home for spring. Whether you need guidance with the CDPAP application process or are looking for a part-time, full-time, or live-in home care aide to help your senior family member, Rockaway Home Care can help. Contact us to see how we can improve your family member’s quality of life today.