Tips for Protecting Your Parent during Mold Awareness Month
Home Care in Kentwood MI
Experts estimate that there could be upwards of three hundred thousand different types of molds in the world, and though most of those exist only outdoors, there are a large number that can and 
do thrive indoors and can cause an infestation in your parent’s home. If mold grows within your loved one’s home it can put them at risk for a wide variety of health complications, including fever, headaches, fatigue, respiratory infections, wheezing, and itchy eyes. Protecting your parent from mold is an important part of keeping them healthier as they age in place.
September is Mold Awareness Month, the ideal opportunity for you to find out ways that you can protect your parent from mold in their home, as well as dangers that can come from some common cleaning methods. Use these tips to help you protect your parent from mold:
- Control humidity levels in the home. Mold thrives in conditions that are warm and damp. You can help to reduce the growth of mold in the home by keeping the humidity levels at no more than 50 percent at all times. This will make the air in the home dryer, making it less hospitable to mold and also helping you to manage the climate
- Ensure proper ventilation. Have your parent’s home thoroughly investigated to ensure that all ventilation, including exhaust fans, is in good condition. This will help keep the air flowing through the home so that any mold spores move through the air system rather than stopping and growing. This also helps to remove excess moisture from the home
- Fix all plumbing leaks. Even a small amount of moisture leakage can create a thriving environment for mold. Fixing these leaks will reduce the dampness in areas such as under sinks and around showers so that there are fewer areas where the mold can grow. This can also help your parent save money on their utility bills
- Be careful when cleaning. Using a bleach solution is a great way to help solve minor mold issues. Open the windows to provide extra ventilation and remove dangerous fumes and spores. Mix one cup of bleach to one gallon of water and clean wearing gloves and a mask.
Starting home care for your aging parent can be a fantastic way for your elderly parent to enjoy a safer, healthier, and more fulfilling quality of life as they age in place. An in-home senior care services provider can give your elderly parent a personalized approach to care tailored to their individual needs and challenges in a way that ensures that these needs are properly met while still encouraging independence, autonomy, and engagement in your senior. When it comes to protecting your parent from environmental issues such as mold, a home care provider can alert you to potentially troublesome conditions within the home so that you can address them properly, as well as ensure that your parent does not attempt to handle the situation in ways that could put their health at serious risk.
If you or someone you know needs help with home care in Kentwood, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
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