Keeping a Clean Home During Cancer Treatment
By Emily Smith
A clean home is an important part of staying healthy at any age, but it’s especially important for a cancer patient’s home to be very clean due to their lowered immune system. Keeping a house constantly organized and sanitized can be difficult for anyone… trying to keep up with all of the necessary chores while dealing with the side effects of cancer treatments can become overwhelming and feel next to impossible. Find below some practical tips that anyone going through cancer treatments can use to keep their home clean.
Plan Cleaning Chores Beforehand & Break Tasks Up Into Manageable Sessions
Patients undergoing cancer treatments often feel so tired and weak that even small tasks like washing the dinner dishes or vacuuming the carpets can seem insurmountable. Attempting to keep up the same cleaning schedule that they had prior to the cancer treatment often becomes too much. It’s easier to plan to break cleaning sessions down into smaller chores taking shorter amounts of time so that excessive energy isn’t spent. Planning more frequent cleaning sessions ahead of time makes it easier to fit everything that needs to be done into a busy schedule.
Ask or Allow Others to Lend a Hand Cleaning or Cooking
Those that are struggling with cancer often get many offers of help but the majority of people do not take advantage of them. We all have individuals in our lives who would love to serve us in our time of need: friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers all may offer to clean to clean, do yard work, prepare meals, or fold laundry.
Accepting help can be hard but there comes a time when it makes sense to allow others to lend a hand with cleaning and other household duties to get through a challenging experience. Allowing others to help will strengthen relationships and relieve a burden.
Consider Hiring a Professional Cleaning Service
Another terrific option that works for many cancer patients is to hire a professional cleaning service to take care of some household chores allowing the patient to rest and conserve the little strength they have. Most cleaning services offer a variety of rates and services allowing a client to select the most suitable option for their situation. Cleaningforareason.org is a nonprofit organization that offers free cleaning services to any cancer patient undergoing treatment for any form of cancer and can be a great resource for anyone unable to pay for a professional cleaning service.
Make the Home Safe & Clean for Cancer Patients with Lowered Immunity
When a cancer patient comes home following advanced cancer treatments, they often have a lowered immune system that makes it easier for them to become sick. Families can prepare for this by ensuring that all surfaces have been cleaned, live plants have been removed from the home, and the proper supplies are on-hand like face masks for family members to wear if they are ill.
A cancer diagnosis is hard for patients and families and the ensuing treatments often require some lifestyle adjustments. While a patient’s process for keeping their space tidy and sanitized may need to change, it’s possible for them to maintain their standard of cleanliness by asking for help, modifying their approach to cleaning, and outsourcing to a cleaning company.
Emily Smith is a professional freelance writer with a passion for family caregiving born from a close relationship with her ailing grandmother. She’s a frequent contributor to InHomeCare.com and can often be found trail hiking in her native Utah. Published with permission of InHomeCare.com.
