Maid Service On A Budget For Disabled Or Elderly Persons

Many disabled and elderly people can no longer complete home cleaning tasks adequately. In our age of high transience, more and more people are left living alone with no family close by. Discharging home from the hospital with a new disability or mobility deficits can pose major barriers to a person's ability to keep up with house chores like dusting, moping, or vacuuming. They may not have a ready solution for this problem. Of course, one simple solution is to hire a cleaning service. Sadly, many live on a limited income and cannot afford such services. One barrier is that most of the companies offering such services have minimum requirements such as two hours per week. They charge anywhere from $25-$50 per hour which adds up quickly. In some large cities there are companies who offer discounts to senior citizens. So, it is always worth an internet search or calling a few companies to ask.

Here are some other options to consider. Call a company directly and explain the situation. Describe the limited budget available for cleaning services and tell them if there are any disabilities. They may be willing to make an exception to their standard policy and set up a bi-weekly or even monthly visits, saving the person money. Small companies or single person businesses may be more willing than large companies. So, get on Google.com or Yelp.com and find some local companies to talk to.

Consider a one-time cleaning service. Most cleaning companies offer either recurring (weekly) or single session cleaning services. Find out the cost for the one-time service. The person may be able to afford this service quarterly, or biannually by saving up. Granted, cleaning this infrequently is not ideal. But each person must work within their budget. Perhaps family members or neighbors can pitch in to do light cleaning in the interim. Be sure to search the internet or ask the company for discounts to save even more. You can also search the American House Cleaners Association database for companies in your area that offer charity cleaning services. Click here: Charity Cleaning Service - Free House Cleaning for Those in Need (theahca.org).

Some individuals may qualify for an in-home care giving aid depending on age and diagnosis. Some patients can receive a home aid for a few days per week for a few hours depending on the programs and benefits in their State. It is worth checking to see what support is available because in-home caregivers can assist with these tasks as well as self-care. Check the Eldercare Locator to find programs in your area and begin a search for potential in-home assistance. Eldercare Locator (acl.gov). Don't be fooled by the name. The database includes programs for those under the age of 65 as well as over but these vary by State and region. However, some of these programs require lengthy application processes and may have waiting lists.

This brings us to the next option. Find family members, friends, or neighbors who can assist. For individuals who truly have no contacts whom they can rely on, then it's time to meet some people. Sadly, people don't take the time to meet their neighbors anymore. The person should get out and meet some of their neighbors if possible. Most neighbors are likely to be kind and sympathetic. Perhaps a neighbor would be willing to help in small ways if they understand the person's limitations or disability. Alternatively, a neighbor may have a young grandchild, niece or nephew, or know someone who would be willing to help clean for a fee lower than the cleaning company charges. Teens and college students are often willing to do a couple hours of work for $20-$30 total.

If that does not work, consider connecting with a local church or place of worship. If the person is a part of a congregation, there is likely to be someone in the congregation who would be willing to help, perhaps for free. If they have no established connection, call around to some local churches or places of worship and they may be able to connect the person with someone who can help, such as a family with a teen who wants to do some chores for some extra cash. Similar connections may also be established through another interest group the person has connections with such as a book club, senior center, etc. The key is to reach out and find someone who knows someone that may be willing to help.

There are also plenty of helpful gadgets that can make home maintenance easier. Robot vacuums, toilet bowl cleaner that work with every flush, electric scrubbing brushes that make scrubbing easier, and numerous others can be purchased to ease the burden of housework. Over time these can certainly be cheaper than regular maid services, however they tend to have a high up front cost. They can also have complex electrical settings that may pose a barrier to elderly or cognitively impaired persons.

Lastly, if they have not already done so, the person should discuss these concerns with their occupational therapist who is skilled in teaching adaptive techniques to complete these tasks even with limited mobility or a disability. They can help the person find easier and safer ways to do many home care/cleaning tasks.

In Summary, if close family or friends are not able to complete these tasks, consider the following options. 

1: Find a maid service/cleaning company that can provide services within budget such as biweekly or monthly or simply hire them for one-time service as often as the budget allows. Alternatively, consider using a charity cleaning service. To find free house cleaning visit this site (theahca.org)<https://www.theahca.org/charity-cleaning-service-free-house-cleaning-for-those-in-need>

2: See if there are programs in your State that may cover in-home caregiving aids. These individuals can also help with home cleaning chores. Use the Eldercare Locator (acl.gov)<https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx>

3: Reach out to any friends, family, neighbors, or other connections to find someone who may be willing to help out for a small fee that is within budget. Teenagers and college students may be a good option. If the person does not know anyone personally, they should try to meet some neighbors.

4: If option 3 does not pan out, consider reaching out to a local church or other place of worship and they may be able to help locate someone. Alternatively, a local senior center may be able to help also. 

5: Remember that gadgets and robotic machines are available to make many home care tasks easier. However, these can have a high upfront cost and high learning curve. Use as able.

6: Work with an occupational therapist to maximize the person's independence with these tasks. 

By David F. Garner OTR/L