As we all want to have a comfortable and tidy home, housekeeping naturally becomes a crucial part of our daily lives. But how should we manage the chores as we get older and our physical capabilities start to decline? The following basic principles of doing housework will help us save energy, protect our joints and complete housework easily and safely.

Proper posture

When dealing with daily chores, improper posture will accelerate joint damage, induce inflammation and degeneration, especially affecting those body parts that are more frequently used such as the neck, shoulders, back, wrists, fingers, and knees

1. When performing household tasks in standing position, you can place one foot in front of the other to keep balance
2. Do not squat or sit on a low stool to wash clothes or wash vegetables. You should sit on a chair with proper height, which would allow you to place your feet flat on the floor with knee flexed at 90 degree
   
3. While cleaning the bedroom or making the bed, keep your back straight, avoid bending the trunk and straining the spine

Joint protection

As joint injuries and wear and tear are the main causes of arthritis, we need to protect our joints by preventing damage or overloading the joints

When performing household tasks:

1. Avoid using the same joint repetitively e.g. switching shoulders regularly when carrying objects instead of carrying them with a single hand
2. Avoid carrying heavy objects e.g. can make use of the delivery service offered by supermarkets, instead of carrying two packs of rice yourself
3. Avoid joint injuries e.g. always arrange adequate time for housework and avoid having to perform a large amount of housework within a tight schedule, which could easily lead to injuries

Regular stretching exercises can help us maintain joint flexibility, strengthen muscles, improve balance and protect our joints.

Energy Conservation

Use simple and energy conserving methods to do housework to reduce physical exertion

1. Perform housework while sitting e.g. sit on a chair when cleaning and preparing food on the table, or when doing the ironing etc.
   
2. Simplify work procedures e.g. buy pre-packed minced meat from the supermarket instead of doing the mincing at home yourself
3. Use suitable assistive devices to deal with housework e.g. use a shopping cart, use a blender to prepare minced meat etc.
   

Understand your own limits and reduce stress

Recognize your own limitations. Housework can overwhelm you and make you feel exhausted and frustrated, or make your feel burdened. Prolonged negative feelings will induce the secretion of stress hormones (e.g. adrenaline), which in the long run, could lead to elevation of blood pressure and blood sugar, and impairment of the immune system , adversely affecting our health. At this moment, you should stop your housework and think about the adjustment

1. Take a rest if you feel tired before continuing your housework
2. Don’t be too demanding on tidiness
3. Set a more realistic goal and time schedule to finish the housework
4. Share out your workload with family members to reduce stress e.g. during annual cleansing before Lunar New Year, moving heavy objects, renovation, changing seasonal clothes etc.
5. You can apply volunteer service or Home Help Service from ‘District Elderly Community Centre’ or ‘Neighbourhood Elderly Centre’ nearby

Good planning

Get organized can make your housework easier, please consider the following tips:

1. Place frequently used items where they can be reached easily
   
2. Dispose things that are not necessary, put old clothes in recycling box, and discard expired food immediately
3. Plan ahead before you do the housework and write down the to-do-list
4. Cut all the raw food first, then do another tasks stepwise during meal preparation
5. Complete tasks one by one, e.g. clean the bathroom today and kitchen tomorrow

Elders can apply ‘practical tips in doing housework’ so as to facilitate the process of housework and reduce the chance of injury. Housework is not troublesome anymore.