Housekeeping, laundry, and maintenance services in senior living are helpful and convenient, and they even help seniors remain independent. These services take care of routine chores so residents can enjoy a safer, simpler, more relaxed lifestyle.

It’s important to know that services vary among independent living, assisted living, nursing homes, and memory care, not to mention differences from one community to the next. Let’s take a look at the differences and what you can expect from these senior living services. 

Housekeeping services in senior living

In senior living, housekeeping services largely focus on cleaning-related tasks, like:

• Vacuuming.
• Dusting.
• Emptying trash.
• Wiping surfaces.
• Spot cleaning.
• Cleaning bathrooms and kitchens.
• Occasional deep cleaning for carpets and upholstery, floor scrubbing, and other specialty tasks.

However, housekeeping often doesn’t include some other tasks you might associate with it, like tidying. 

Variations:

• Some communities may offer light tidy-ups or cleans each day.
• In some states, residents may be able to do their own cleaning if they wish to and are capable.
• Residents may be able to request extra cleaning when needed, such as after an illness or when they have visitors.

Independent living

In independent living communities, housekeeping services are designed for convenience and comfort rather than medical necessity. Weekly or biweekly light cleaning is commonly included in the base rent, covering tasks like dusting, vacuuming, bathroom cleaning, and linen changes.

Residents who prefer more frequent or specialized cleaning, such as deep cleans, window washing, or tidying personal items, may be able to request these for an additional fee. Because independent living emphasizes autonomy, residents may also choose to handle some cleaning themselves or hire outside help if the community allows it.

Assisted living

Standard assisted living fees often include basic housekeeping, like weekly cleans and occasional deep cleans. More frequent or intense cleaning generally costs extra. 

However, the services and their frequency can vary considerably. This is partly due to differences between facilities and also because assisted living is regulated at the state level.

Nursing homes

Cleaning services tend to be more comprehensive in nursing homes due to federal requirements as well as a greater need for infection control. The frequency of cleaning typically increases, with residents sometimes receiving daily instead of weekly cleaning.

Such cleaning is a fundamental part of a nursing home, so it should be included in the standard fee.

Memory care

Memory care is an interesting case, as it can be provided in various settings, like stand-alone memory care facilities, assisted living, and nursing homes. However, housekeeping tends to be more comprehensive in memory care than for other residents, as those in memory care are often less able to keep things clean and tidy themselves. 

As such, memory care in assisted living may offer multiple cleans per week instead of just one, and any accidents will be quickly addressed. When memory care takes place in a nursing home, there is another increase in housekeeping, especially for residents in the middle or late stages of dementia and those who are incontinent.

Basic cleaning will be provided in the base fee, but there may be extra costs if the amount of work increases dramatically.

Laundry services in senior living

There are generally two distinct laundry services:

• Linen services, which include washing bedding, towels, and related items.
• Clothing laundry services.

Linens are often laundered at least once per week and more often if they’re soiled. Laundry practices are similar in frequency, so residents may need to plan to ensure they have enough clean clothes each week.

Variations:

• Frequency: Once a week is common, but some facilities may offer more frequent services.
• Personal laundry: Residents might be limited by the number of loads, number of items, or weight per week.
• Shared laundry rooms: Many assisted living facilities have laundry rooms where residents or their families can do their own laundry if they wish to. 
• No laundry service: Some affordable facilities focus on shared laundry rooms and offer assistance to residents, rather than having a separate laundry service. 
• Extras: Residents will often be able to pay for extra services, like faster turnaround or dry cleaning.

While services fold clothes and linen for residents, they typically won’t put the clothing away for them. These are also somewhat commercial services, so they don’t treat items with the same level of care and attention that they would get at home. 

Independent living

In independent living, laundry services tend to be more flexible and optional. Many communities provide on-site laundry rooms for residents to use at their convenience, while others offer pick-up and drop-off laundry services, which may come at an additional cost.

Some communities include weekly linen changes or laundry service as part of the rent, particularly in higher-end or all-inclusive communities. Residents who prefer full independence can continue doing their own laundry or hire outside services if allowed.

Assisted living

Assisted living should always provide some level of laundry service or assistance as part of the basic fee, as this is needed to keep residents safe and healthy. However, this service may be as simple as a shared laundry room where staff can assist residents as needed. 

Other facilities may have a laundry system, which may involve doing one load of a resident’s clothing per week and regular linen washing. Additional services may come with an extra fee. 

Nursing homes

As with housekeeping services, nursing homes tend to offer more comprehensive laundry services and must meet stricter requirements than assisted living facilities. Complete laundry services should be provided as part of the base fee, especially as many residents won’t be able to use self-service laundry options.

Memory care

Memory care residents also tend to receive more frequent laundry services than assisted living residents. Crucially, linens and clothing will need to be changed whenever they are soiled or wet. 

Maintenance services in senior living

Maintenance services focus on upkeep and repairs. This includes maintenance throughout the facility and in individual apartments. Groundskeeping is part of this service as well and includes lawn care and snow removal when required. 

Tasks include:

• Preventive maintenance: Scheduled regularly to avoid any issues. 
• On-request maintenance: Maintenance staff respond to issues within a day or two. 
• Emergency maintenance: Larger and more upscale communities may have 24/7 emergency maintenance, while other communities may have a slightly delayed response time.
• Modifications: Maintenance services sometimes help complete personal changes, like adding grab bars.    

Maintenance services should be similar across independent living, assisted living, nursing homes, and memory care, as there’s always a need to keep the environment safe and functional. 

However, maintenance will vary depending on the size of the senior’s residence and the amount of equipment they rely on. 

Benefits of housekeeping, laundry, and maintenance services in senior living

Housekeeping, laundry, and maintenance are all essential for keeping people healthy and ensuring that senior living facilities function well. Not having these practices can lead to poor hygiene, increased infection risk, decreased safety, and poorer mental health. 

Many residents in assisted living, memory care, or nursing homes won’t be able to reliably do these tasks for themselves, so facilities must offer services to cover the gaps. 

Some benefits of these services include:

• Increased safety: There are no heavy hampers to lift and no strain in maintaining a home. 
• Improved independence: These services allow residents to focus on other parts of their lives, which fosters a sense of independence. 
• Health and infection control: Keeping the home, clothes, and linen clean are crucial for decreasing infection risk, minimizing skin irritation, and keeping people healthy. 
• Better mental health: People tend to feel better and do better when their living situation runs smoothly and things are kept clean and tidy. Housekeeping, laundry, and maintenance services in senior living ensure everything is in order, regardless of the resident’s abilities. 
• Less stress: These services can dramatically decrease stress for residents and their families, which can then improve quality of life and overall well-being. 

Because approaches vary so much, it’s important to inquire directly with any organization you’re using or considering. This will allow you to ask questions and determine which services are provided, how they work, and whether there are any extra fees for them. 

Senior care facility rules and requirements vary based on company-specific policies and state-level regulations. The content above represents common guidelines but may differ from a particular facility’s policies or requirements. To learn the regulations that apply in your state, contact your local Oasis Senior Advisor.