Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Getting Work Done: Senior cohousing, cleaning in a multi-family building.

[Joyce Cheney (jcheneyjc]

Here are two suggestions of ways to greatly reduce cleaning work (and 
accidents!), from a senior living in a cold weather (snow, mud) cohousing 
community:
1. Get rid of all the hall rugs. They’re tripping hazards, especially for 
seniors.
2. Make a “mudroom” area by each door leading outside (or at least the main 
one):
-Install tough mats with sticky/non-slip backing at each door leading outside. 
-Put a bench/chair by each door leading outside
-put shelves/area where people can leave their outdoor boots/shoes (and perhaps 
a pair of slippers) and set the expectation that people will do so.
-Joyce C. 
Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 30, 2024, at 2:50 PM, Barbara Smith via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
> cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Getting the Work Done:  Senior Cohousing with some lower income residents 
> need to get the cleaning done in a multi-unit building. With hall rugs.
> 
> Here’s the problem: Hager Homestead, an over 55 cohousing in Littleton, MA is 
> finally becoming occupied. Residents moved into the multi-family building a 
> month ago and are just facing the fact that we have 3 floors of hall rugs to 
> vacuum, hall baseboards to clean and windows to wash.  We are, in addition, a 
> community where a significant % of households have lower incomes, but along a 
> sliding scale of incomes. That is, units with a lower purchase price and 
> lower monthly fees. (It’s Massachusetts, so it’s complicated.) A few units 
> will be occupied by fully “low income” residents. In short, ours is a very 
> diverse community: we have income issues, health issues and a few members 
> have physical issues that prevent them from doing some kinds of work, like 
> vacuuming and getting down on their knees to scrub walls. And some are still 
> happily employed and healthy. 
> 
> Most of the people in my building would prefer NOT to do the 
> vacuuming/baseboard cleaning and I have been getting quotes from professional 
> cleaners. Of course, economically challenged residents worry about the cost. 
> Some people (fewer) want to do the work themselves. 
> 
> Given the complexities, should the cleaning cost be part of the monthly HOA? 
> Have any other communities grappled with this problem? I’m 75 years old, 
> quite healthy, am economically challenged & I’d still rather pay for 
> cleaning. But the main thing is to be fair and kind to all members and not 
> embarrass people.
> 
> Also: what do communities do to prevent winter wet & mud from getting in on 
> the hall rugs?  Take off boots at the door? 
> 
>  
>  
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