For planning purposes, how do you change the bed?

CooCooforCoCoPuffs

CooCooforCoCoPuffs

Senior Member
At nearly 70, I have begun to notice changing the linens on our queen bed mattress is getting more and more challenging as the years pass. Both DH and I can each still change the bed 100% our own, but have begun to prefer each other's extra help with the task. We find ourselves wondering how others, who just physically can't do the bed linen change routine each week, solve the problem? We consider we will need to pay someone to come in and do the bed linens change. So if any of you have done this, or figured it out, what pointers? What does an hour of help to make a bed run these days? We do not have relatives/friends that can run by to help.
 

CooCooforCoCoPuffs said:
At nearly 70, I have begun to notice changing the linens on our queen bed mattress is getting more and more challenging as the years pass. Both DH and I can each still change the bed 100% our own, but have begun to prefer each other's extra help with the task. We find ourselves wondering how others, who just physically can't do the bed linen change routine each week, solve the problem? We consider we will need to pay someone to come in and do the bed linens change. So if any of you have done this, or figured it out, what pointers? What does an hour of help to make a bed run these days? We do not have relatives/friends that can run by to help.
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If you have Medicare, you probably have a home-aid benefit. Last I checked, Medicare covered 80 hours per year for home-helpers.

Some help requires a co-pay...I believe that includes stuff like bathing, medications, and other nursing-type help, but not simple housekeeping. But I could be wrong; benefits and co-pays may have changed.

Anyway, check it out.
 
Murrmurr said:
If you have Medicare, you probably have a home-aid benefit. Last I checked, Medicare covered 80 hours per year for home-helpers.

Some help requires a co-pay...I believe that includes stuff like bathing, medications, and other nursing-type help, but not simple housekeeping. But I could be wrong; benefits and co-pays may have changed.

Anyway, check it out.
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Are you talking about home health which requires doctor approval?
 
To my knowledge, Medicare doesn't pay for anything non-nursing/medical related or ordered by a physician. Am just wondering from my post how much it costs in various places to have someone come in an do some chores, such as changing a bed weekly or cleaning a bathroom at least weekly, when we are no longer able to do such...
 
Twostep said:
Are you talking about home health which requires doctor approval?
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While I cared for my parents, Medicare required a diagnosis from their doctors to support claims of mobility issues and/or physical limitations, and approval for the level of help needed relied heavily on the extent of their disabilities. And a Medicare social worker came to their home to interview them, to determine their needs.

At the time (early to mid-2000s), Medicare had two home-aid categories; nursing and housekeeping. The co-pay for help in the nursing category was higher than the housekeeping category, and a lot of stuff in the housekeeping category had zero co-pay. For example, there was a co-pay for a dietician & meal planner, but not a bed changer & cook.

Like I said, there may have been changes, but I'm sure Medicare still offers home-aid benefits.
 
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CooCooforCoCoPuffs said:
To my knowledge, Medicare doesn't pay for anything non-nursing/medical related or ordered by a physician. Am just wondering from my post how much it costs in various places to have someone come in an do some chores, such as changing a bed weekly or cleaning a bathroom at least weekly, when we are no longer able to do such...
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My wife's sister charges $25 for the first hour, and hourly minimum wage after that. She says that's customary.
 
In this area it seems to be $25.00-$30.00/hour with a four hour minimum is standard.

The trick is finding someone honest and dependable that actually works.

I would like to find someone willing to tackle various chores, transportation to appointments, shopping, etc… in addition to basic cleaning services.
 
Murrmurr said:
My SIL doesn't have a minimum, but maybe that's because she doesn't work for an agency. She's just an independent worker; self-employed.
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We really need more people like that. I don't know how the liability works.

But when I owned that house, my nice neighbor (who sold and moved) gave me the number of a woman handy person. She was great and I felt comfortable with her. She changed the light fixture in the dining, the two outside and put up some curtain rods that required drilling.
 
Aunt Bea said:
In this area it seems to be $25.00-$30.00/hour with a four hour minimum is standard.

The trick is finding someone honest and dependable that actually works.

I would like to find someone willing to tackle various chores, transportation to appointments, shopping, etc… in addition to basic cleaning services.
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Around here a cleaning lady will add it to her chores and charge.
 
I consider myself at 70 and hubby at 75, lucky then as we have no trouble changing bed sheets. My mom who passed away at 80 was doing everything by herself as well in her home and carrying two bags of heavy groceries while walking home, no car. I feel for you folks, as to me 70 is so young not to be able to do things as simple as changing a bed. I hope you find the help you need soon. I have to say that my whole family has always been ones to physically get some exercise every day and I think that is what keeps us limber. But I know people can have a whole range of illnesses regardless and can't do stuff for themselves. Good luck to you.
 
LoveTulips said:
I consider myself at 70 and hubby at 75, lucky then as we have no trouble changing bed sheets. My mom who passed away at 80 was doing everything by herself as well in her home and carrying two bags of heavy groceries while walking home, no car. I feel for you folks, as to me 70 is so young not to be able to do things as simple as changing a bed. I hope you find the help you need soon. I have to say that my whole family has always been ones to physically get some exercise every day and I think that is what keeps us limber. But I know people can have a whole range of illnesses regardless and can't do stuff for themselves. Good luck to you.
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OH! Hubby and I are same age, both turning 70 this fall. Am just wondering and planning in case it happens some day. Either of us can still change the bed alone...but it is a tad easier if we each take a side and lift the queen mattress. I do hope we can keep it up for another 15 years...but who knows what tomorrow brings? Totally agree about the daily exercise. Lifting weights and doing counter pushups really make a difference, when I can't get out and do other things. Move it or lose it, yes? I think genetics plays a large factor, too.

Thanks for the positive words!
 
Manatee said:
I am 90 and make the queen bed myself. I put my wife's pillow in an empty drawer after she passed away 2 years ago.
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Makes me happy there is hope I too can do a bed until am 90...and sad your wife passed away 2 years ago. How long were you married to her?
 
Remy said:
I have a queen bed. I can still make it. But I probably need better access to the one side. I have considered downsizing to a double since it's just me, but the cats take up a good amount of space on the bed. I'll continue to think about it.
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I went to a twin bed when I moved to my current apartment, 15 years ago.

It simplified laundry, bed making, furniture placement, etc…

It was a bit of a challenge to find a quality twin size mattress.

I finally found a compressed mattress that I was able to purchase online from the folks at Brooklyn Bedding that works for me.

Plank Firm Luxe - Brooklyn Bedding
 
CooCooforCoCoPuffs said:
At nearly 70, I have begun to notice changing the linens on our queen bed mattress is getting more and more challenging as the years pass. Both DH and I can each still change the bed 100% our own, but have begun to prefer each other's extra help with the task. We find ourselves wondering how others, who just physically can't do the bed linen change routine each week, solve the problem? We consider we will need to pay someone to come in and do the bed linens change. So if any of you have done this, or figured it out, what pointers? What does an hour of help to make a bed run these days? We do not have relatives/friends that can run by to help.
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To your question- I have a h-e-l-l of a time changing the bedsheets. I have a queen and it takes me a good 30 minutes for the bottom sheet.

1. I find the tag that says “top or bottom” first, so my struggling doesn’t end up for naught.

2. I find if I affix both sides of the top to the mattress, then attach the bottom, each side half way at a time, I get it on to stay.

3. This is probably all in my head, but I hate the microfiber material; it never seems to stay on, I am always readjusting it.

I have to hunt, but I buy cotton/percale bedsheets, which seem to work better. As I said, that’s probably all in my head because I don’t like microfiber anything.


As far as help - what’s that? For one thing, I don’t want people I don’t know in my house. Even if I could find somebody I could trust I couldn’t afford the ridiculous amount of money they think they need to perform a simple tasks. Everybody where I live thinks they deserve brain surgery wages. It doesn’t matter if it’s the house or the barn so I do everything myself.
 
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