Helping Your Senior Loved One Care for Their Fall Yard in Southbridge

For many people living in Southbridge, the colorful fall foliage, cooler temperatures, and locally grown harvest foods at our local farmers’ markets make the fall months a favorite time of year. 

However, once the leaves begin to fall, we have to deal with raking them and bagging them up – something that can be a struggle for many seniors. Whether you plan to help your elderly loved one with their fall yard work this year or if it makes more sense just to hire someone to do it, having a fall yard work checklist can help you plan out exactly what needs to be done. 

Fall Yard Work Checklist

We checked in with the home improvement professionals and came up with the following fall yard work checklist:

• Check the seals on all doors and windows for wear and tear and add or replace weather stripping as needed.
• Check the roof for missing shingles and have them repaired before winter. Clean out leaves and debris from the gutters.
• Turn off the outdoor water supply before the nighttime temperatures become freezing, and store the hoses in the garage. 
• Drain the sprinkler system and any outdoor spigots. 
• Rake the leaves. 
• Protect plants with a layer of mulch. 
• Fertilize cool-season grasses and plant trees, shrubs, roses, bulbs and cool-season annuals. 
• Prune trees and plants that benefit from being pruned in the fall. 
• Be on the lookout for common fall garden pests in the Southbridge area, such as aphids, slugs, and cutworms, which can damage plants if not addressed before the first frost. 

Helping Your Southbridge Senior Care for Their Yard

Here are three strategies we recommend for helping seniors with yard work this fall:

1. Get Your Loved One Involved

While some tasks such as raking or cleaning gutters might be too strenuous or even dangerous for your senior loved one to help with, that doesn’t mean they can’t still help. There are plenty of lighter activities, such as pruning plants, sweeping the porch, or organizing the gardening tools that allow them to stay active and involved. If you live nearby, plan to do it little by little during each visit. Even on a smaller scale, participating in yard cleanup will provide your senior with some exercise, helping to maintain muscle strength and bone health while also offering them a sense of accomplishment.

2. Make It a Family Event

If your loved one cannot physically assist, consider dedicating a weekend to completing larger projects as a family. Making it a family event provides an opportunity to spend quality time together, and even smaller children can help with age-appropriate tasks.

3. Hire Professional Help

If distance, time constraints, or other commitments prevent you from helping with the yard work, hiring a professional lawn care service is a simple solution. Many lawn care services specialize in seasonal tasks such as leaf removal, gutter cleaning, and winterizing gardens. 

Keep Southbridge Seniors Safe and Comfortable This Fall

Whether you and your family help out with the yard work or you hire professional help, caring for their yard can help ensure that your loved one remains safe and comfortable in their home during the cooler months. While fallen leaves may look pretty, they can quickly become a slipping and tripping hazard if left unchecked. 

Another way to keep your senior safe and comfortable this fall is to consider hiring a caregiver or using a senior care service like Visiting Angels Southbridge for assistance. Give us a call today at (508) 764-6700 or Contact Us online to learn more.