Harbinger of our need to move (screaming, grandmother, mother, Florida)
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If you're retired there's less urgency on the whole since they didn't have to leave for work, it wasn't a huge deal if the service didn't arrive til noon or the local kid didn't get there til after school. And, honestly most snowstorms didn't dump enough snow that they couldn't get out of the driveway in an emergency.
There was an ordinance/requirement in our Utah municipality that snow removal had to be done within 24 hours of the snowfall
So yah - there is an urgency. It’s not just about you - it’s also about your neighbors.
Homeowner Responsibilities:
1. Removing the snow in front of your mailbox once plows have been through the neighborhood.
2. Clearing snow from sidewalks in front of their homes within 24 hours of a storm. (If possible, please assist elderly or infirm neighbors)
3. Removing the snow from around a fire hydrant. If there is a fire hydrant in front of a resident’s home, they must clear it of all snow.
4. Clearing snow from driveway approaches. Snow accumulated on the plow blade has no place to go but in the right-of-way, which includes driveway approaches. The City possesses neither the personnel nor equipment to clear thousands of driveway approaches within the City. Help your neighbors.
At 76 and 79, my wife and I have decided the time to move will be next year. The outside work has gotten to that point that most service companies won't be available to do the very mundane but necessary labor. In my area, the lawn services want to "mow and blow" and move on, no one wants to weed, prune, or clean, so it's time. We're thinking about the over 55 apartments in town just because at our ages we don't want to own again..
We had two 80 to 100 sq. ft. flower beds that we just dug up and planted grass a few years ago. We couldn't hire anyone to do the weeding and we weren't up to it anymore. For the past 6 or 7 years I hired small family companies or individuals to do all the yard work. They would do whatever we needed, mowing, pruning, tree removal, hedge and bush trimming, snow removal, leaf removal, cleaning gutters, etc., but no one would do weeding. These workers seem good for just a couple of years and then fade away. For the last couple of years we have hired our fourth guy, an older man in his 50's, who also does hvac, and does yard work as an extra source of income.
Found that remark curious, so I read back and absolutely no one in this conversation did that.
It depends on the person, their sense of balance and the strength in their legs. I'm 75 and not in good health but if I think I can do something I do it. Last week I had to use the second step on a step stool about 8-10 times to change the batteries in ceiling mounted smoke alarms. My wife steadied the step stool. I supported myself on walls and door frames. I got the job done.
All this talk of Step stools. I need to buy one. Still standing on a 100 year old chair to reach the high fixtures. Not good at 68.
I'm surprised that the maintenance people in your building aren't replacing light bulbs. In our building, when any light fixture that came with the apartment needs a new light bulb, maintenance will come and change the bulb, even if it is a fixture that one can easily reach. That said, we tend to call them when there is more than one light out. We figure it is easier for us and them that way.
Maybe, if management allows it, you can ask a maintenance person to change your light bulbs and pay him/her for his/her time. Then have the light bulb ready for them when they come to your apartment.
We have started some hiring of services. We have hired a company to do Fall gutter cleaning the past two years. I bought the Roomba equivalent for gutter cleaning, made by the same company, it doesn't work at all!
Subdivision sized lot so mowing, raking, and snow removal of one lot still qualifies as exercise rather than exhaustion.
My wife and I are both perfectionists and have discovered that the quality produced by our abilities, even diminished as they are in retirement, exceed that of most trade professionals. It hurts twice as bad to pay money for inferior results, just because you are too old to easily or safely self perform the task.
I would consider telling your neighbors you can no longer do their snow removal, and have the group explore hiring a snow removal service to do everyone's driveways and walks. If they complain about having to pay for what you've been doing for free, that's too bad.
Went to.my folks house, 30 minutes from our home for them to consider a move to an assisted living home. Mom said No. This was was 1992. With my husband disabled, 2 teenagers, working outside the home, couldn't continue. So !
An opportunity came to move the next year and we did, 2 states away . Sometimes, you have to say, No.
Y'all need better step stools. Mine has a stable wide stance, a sturdy grab handle, and wide non-slip steps.
My coworker's father had become too frail to use any stepstool. The time had come when he and his wife needed outside assistance for even simple tasks. I doubt another type of stepstool would have been the answer.
I have a friend in her 80s who will use hers to change curtains or whatever, but only if someone else is in the house to stand by her. I think she is being wise.
My coworker's father had become too frail to use any stepstool. The time had come when he and his wife needed outside assistance for even simple tasks. I doubt another type of stepstool would have been the answer.
I have a friend in her 80s who will use hers to change curtains or whatever, but only if someone else is in the house to stand by her. I think she is being wise.
A step LADDER is actually much safer than a steep STOOL. A person can purchase a lightweight aluminum ladder in either 5' or 6' height and it's easy to carry and safe to use.
The thing that makes a ladder safer than a stool is because the ladder extends perhaps 3 feet higher than the step your feet are on. This gives you something to hold onto to steady yourself. It also gives you a little shelf where you can lay small tools and things while working.
I'll take the safety and stability of a ladder any day over a step stool. Even if the stool has a little bar or handle, it only extends about 16" above the second step which is not much help.
BTW, I suggest that a person NOT stand on either of the top two steps on a step ladder and CERTAINLY not on the top of the step ladder.
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