Episode 6: Keeping House

Discussion of dealing with and accessing community resources for housecleaning.

Guest: Linsey, who has worked in Vancouver Coastal Health for over a decade.

Feedback: [e-mail]

Links: 

1. Disability Alliance of BC: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/
2. Better at Home: http://www.betterathome.ca
3. Tody (chore app): https://todyapp.com

Tips:

1. From feedback/listener questions: What to do if you’re denied STD/LTD/CPP-D? There is usually an established appeal process you must follow. Many services like Disability Alliance of BC has mentors/advocates and lawyers to help. Google the equivalent for your province.
2. There isn’t as much MSP/public coverage for help with housekeeping as there is with personal care (episode 5).
3. Better at Home is a United Way administered service that helps seniors with tasks such as driving to appointments, grocery shopping, light house/yard work etc.
4. You’ll likely have to private pay for household help for tasks that are not directly health related such as house care, hair/makeup, laundry etc.
5. If you’re being discharged from hospital ask the social worker for a list of available private pay services.
6. If you are disabled to a point where you cannot do basic household tasks for yourself, and you cannot afford to pay for help (and you don’t have friends/family to help) then you’d be looking at being moved into assisted living/long term care. GP/case manager in community would be link to further assessments for this.
7. Long term care (public government funding) takes 80% of your income, to cover housing and care cost.
8. If a disabled person moves into long term care and leaves a spouse at home this could have serious financial implications for that spouse. Talk to social worker about your financial options.
9. Decide which household tasks are necessities to you and which ones can wait/have corners cut.
10. Use apps, such as Tody, to help keep track of household tasks.
11. Simplify tasks, for example buy socks in all one colour.
12. Look into getting a robot vacuum! They can vacuum and mop, some self empty. Massive energy savings.
13. Buy a rechargeable spinning brush, with multiple attachments. Cleans bathtub, counters, windows etc.
14. Look into how you can use all your vacuum attachments. 
15. Get some reacher/grasper tools. Useful for around the house tasks, grocery shopping etc.
16. Look into ways you can just keep things cleaner longer, like placemats, slip covers, RainX etc.
17. Put a cleaning kit in several rooms, reducing the barrier of distance to cleaners when you get the energy to clean.
18. Community is so important when it comes to household tasks. Meanwhile we all live so independently. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Remember to think about how you can participate in/show up for friendships too.