Your dad has cancer and will be undergoing surgery. You plan to stay with him for two weeks following that, and then his chemo and radiation treatments follow, but you only have a certain number of weeks that you can take off from work. You’re looking at having home care assistance services to help him with housekeeping to reduce what he has to do each day.
What housekeeping chores are most helpful when he’s undergoing cancer treatments? Are there other services your family needs to consider?
Cleaning Dishes and Surfaces
Keeping surfaces sterile is important when your dad’s immune system is weakened by chemo and radiation treatments. A caregiver can use a disinfectant to clean counters, faucet handles, door knobs, light switches, and remotes.
Each day, his caregiver can also wash the dishes for him. If he has a dishwasher, his caregiver can load it and put everything away once dishes, glasses, and cutlery are washed and dried.
Washing and Drying Clothing, Bedding, Towels, and Other Linens
With cancer treatments, your dad isn’t going to have a lot of energy. When he does feel energetic, it can change quickly. Plus, he may find that he goes through periods where he sweats more than is normal and needs his clothing, sheets, and towels washed more often for that reason.
A home care assistance provider can do the laundry for him. He’ll have someone to carry heavy baskets to his laundry or mudroom, sort the loads, and make sure everything is washed and then dried. His caregiver can fold towels, sheets, and clothing and put everything away for him.
Vacuuming and Sweeping Floors
Keeping floors clean of dust, hair, crumbs, and other particles requires sweeping and vacuuming each week. It’s possible that your dad’s house needs floors cleaned more often if he has pets or lives in an area where the soil is sandy or very dry and blows around on a windy day.
Carrying a vacuum around is hard work. His caregiver can do the vacuuming for him, cleaning the stairs, bedroom, and main living area carpeting. Floors that are hardwood, vinyl plank, tile, or concrete need to be swept. His caregiver will sweep the floors, too.
Making Beds and Changing Sheets
Once a week, or possibly more often, your dad needs the sheets on his bed changed. It’s too strenuous a job for him right now. Fluffing pillows before putting on new pillowcases, spraying them with a disinfectant or aromatherapy spray, and making sure the corners of fitted sheets are put on correctly is too difficult.
Even making his bed each day is a challenge. It doesn’t have to be as your dad’s caregiver can help with all of this.
While your dad recuperates and gains back his strength, make sure he has home care assistance to provide the support he needs. Supportive care ensures he rests when needed, takes any medications on time, and has a clean, organized home. Talk to a home care specialist to learn more about housekeeping services and other areas of care that help your dad through his cancer battle.
