At the best of times, I doubt if doing Laundry is gonna top one’s list of favorites past times. I know it isn’t mine, but it is an essential tool, in fighting the spread of infection, of adding to health risks. Too bad that some home support workers, and BCS, don’t take these things into account.
On a GOOD DAY, I will do only ONE load of laundry. IF it is a bad day (usually when a substitute home worker is sent) I will wind up doing TWO, if not THREE, full loads of laundry.
What is a full load for me?
- 2 facecloths
- 2 hand towels
- 2 night shirts
- 1 pair of ankle socks
- 1 large soaker pad (about 4′ x 4′)
- 1 Large bath sheet
- 1 Housecoat.
When there are additional loads, they generally will contain the same items, sometimes more facecloths, hand towels, depending on whether or not another application of prescription cream is needed. The Soaker Pad and Bath Sheet can sometimes be doubled as well, as can additional ‘spillage’ towels.
The only item, not in secondary loads, are the Ankle socks, but they are usually replaced by additional towels.
Doesn’t seem like much, yet take into account that one cannot use the fast wash cycle, because other than the hand towels, most are soiled by urine or fecal matter. You have to run them through a longer cycle, to simply insure everything gets cleaned and disinfected. PLUS, towels (especially bath sheets) always take longer to dry.
Figure it out, a wash cycle is about an hour, dryer cycle is about 90 minutes. There are 2½ hours of electrical use per day, doubled & even tripled, on bad days. IT ADDS UP, JUST CHECK MY HYDRO BILL.
That doesn’t take into account the time involved in doing the laundry, or in folding them once done. It is time consuming, which means other things get pushed aside, especially when an added load or two is required. So, when home support workers, needlessly add to that burden, it becomes not just costly, money wise, but time wise. AND TIME IS VERY PRECIOUS WHEN CARING FOR A SENIOR.
Think about it, because that is JUST for one person. There are two others living here, which means we still have to fit in, normal laundry for day to day use. Like clothes for both David & Myself. And I haven’t even taken into account linen, such as bed sheets.
Bed Sheets are usually done once every two weeks, unless the soaker pads didn’t do their job. So that mean in an average two weeks, we would do about 15 loads of laundry. IF only we had a few of those so called average weeks, it would be good. Rarely do we have a week go by, when we aren’t doing at least 10 loads per 7 days.
Somehow, those weeks when the laundry is more than 7 loads per 7 days, is when substitute home support workers attend Mom. So far, I rarely manage to do just 7 loads per week. Kind of tells it all, doesn’t it?
This is the reality of caring for an older person, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
