Home Care Tips: Simple Ways to Conserve Water

By Jamie Shapiro | December 16, 2015 | Comments Off on Home Care Tips: Simple Ways to Conserve Water

Home Care in Glenview IL

Keeping an eye on your elderly loved ones’ budget is an important part of your home care efforts with them, and one of the most effective ways that you can trim down their monthly costs while also giving them the emotional boost of knowing that they are doing something to benefit the environment and protect the world for future generations is conserving water. Having consistent and reliable access to clean water is something that many people take for granted, but just a day or two of the water not being available due to a storm or other disaster can quickly show you just how vital this access really is. Without proper conservation efforts, however, more people are at risk of not having the water that they need, and the environment will continue to suffer, as will your parents’ utility bills.

Finding simple ways to conserve water around your parents’ home is not only a way to help them save money and benefit the Earth, but also an effective means of stimulating their minds and encouraging more engagement and involvement in their homes and the world around them.

 

Try some of these ideas, and share them with your seniors’ in home health care services provider, to conserve water consistently and easily:

• Plug the tub. Water regulates temperature much more quickly than you might think, so do not let the faucet run down the drain while you are filling the tub for your loved one’s bath. Instead, plug the tub before you turn the water on and adjust the temperature as you go. This will save hundreds of gallons of water over the course of the year and will shorten bath time. If you have seniors who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia that makes taking a bath a stressful experience for them, this also limits the amount of time that the water is running, which is often one of the greatest sources of anxiety for these seniors.

• Shower with a bucket. Most showerheads produce a stream that is much larger than is actually needed to get you clean, so add a bucket at your feet while you are showering. This bucket will collect extra water that comes out of the showerhead but misses you, keeping it from getting wasted down the drain. You can then use that water for houseplants, outdoor plants, or housecleaning needs.

• Collect the rain. If your seniors love houseplants, they likely use a considerable amount of water each month keeping their plants thriving. Whether they grow flowers or herbs, the plants will love natural rainwater you collect by putting a bucket or barrel out during the next storm.

• Turn off the faucet. Be aware of how often you turn on the faucet during the day, and make an effort to remember to turn it off whenever possible. This includes while you are brushing your teeth, shaving, washing your hands, peeling vegetables, and washing dishes. Simply filling up the sink an inch or two to rinse your razor, using basins for washing and rinsing dishes rather than constantly flowing water, and turning off the faucet while brushing, lathering, or peeling can save thousands of gallons of water.

• Fix leaks. A faucet that drips one drop every second wastes five gallons of water each day according to the “Water – Use It Wisely” campaign. That is just one faucet dripping once per second. Make it a faster drip or more than one sink and you could add up to dozens of gallons of water lost each day. Go around the home, indoors and out, checking for leaks and either tighten them up yourself or call a plumber for a professional fix that will save your parents money and protect the environment.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Glenview, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

Jamie Shapiro
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