Top Concerns When Painting in Occupied Healthcare and Senior Living Facilities
Why Painting and Wallpaper Projects in Senior Living Aren’t Like Any Other Job
Painting in memory care or senior living facilities isn’t just another commercial job—and we should know. We’ve got our own parents in facilities that require memory care and part-time assistance. We’ve been on both sides of the situation. That’s why we show up not just with tools—but with respect, patience, and a deep understanding of how important these environments are.
From navigating around walkers and medical equipment, to knowing how to prevent confusion among residents over “what belongs to who,” this is personal. And professional.
Top Challenges in Senior Facilities (And How We Handle Them Like Pros)
Here’s what makes these jobs unique—and how D’Franco Painting & Wallpaper is built to handle them:
1. Sensitive Residents & Memory Care Environments
- Residents may become confused by new faces or unfamiliar objects.
- We keep all tools and supplies locked down, on carts, or worn in belts.
- Items that go missing often show up on lunch tables or in rooms—so we use humor and patience, never blame.
2. Alarm-Triggering Work
- Cue Mission: Impossible music. From call buttons to fire alarms, even drywall dust can trip a sensor.
- We’ve had dust from Festool sanding (yes, even with HEPA!) trigger alarms.
- Heat guns can also trigger sensors—so we often switch to good ol’ hair dryers for safety.
3. Smell Sensitivities and Product Safety
- We use low-odor, low-VOC products including:
- Sherwin-Williams Drywall Conditioner
- Zinsser Gardz
- Roman 977 primer
- Roman 234 adhesive (no complaints yet—but we’re always monitoring)
- Spot repairs and primers are tested in small areas first to prevent reactions.
4. Tight Spaces & Active Rooms
- Rooms may be in use, and furniture needs to be shifted and returned daily.
- We coordinate wall-to-wall timing so each area is fully finished before residents return.
- Bathrooms are often the trickiest spots—we plan for them in off-hours or skip when not essential.
5. Call Button Relocation & Reinstall
- Touch something the wrong way and the whole wing could be paging the nurse.
- We label and mark button locations, and reinstall them exactly where they were—functionally and visually.
6. Staff Coordination and Safety Protocols
- We check in with dedicated on-site service reps every day.
- Our office staff keeps schedules tight, even when facilities are short-staffed or plans change.
- We train our crews to be polite, communicative, and responsive—because there’s no room for bad attitudes here.
7. Windows, Doors, and… Accidental Escapes?
- Left a window open? Someone may try to lean out or call it their way outta here.
- One time a propped door locked during a supply run and tripped an alarm—whoops. We learned fast.
8. Tool Safety & Razor Blade Disposal
- We store used blades in taped-down drink cups with a razor-safe slit—then take them offsite daily.
- No tools left behind. No wandering screwdrivers.
Common Complaints in Care Facilities About Contractors (and How We’re Different)
We did our homework. Here are the top complaints—and how we’ve built a better system:
| Common Complaint | What We Do Differently |
|---|---|
| Strong chemical smells | Use tested low-VOC products like Roman 234 & Gardz |
| Noise or disruption | Coordinate around resident routines & use quiet tools |
| Triggered fire alarms | Pre-test near sensors, use HEPA tools & hair dryers |
| Lack of communication | Daily check-ins with on-site rep + office scheduler |
| Unsafe job sites | Everything’s carted, belted, and cleaned daily |
| Missing tools or materials | Labeled gear, mobile workstations, nothing left behind |
Source: Griswold Home Care, Schultz & Myers Injury Law
FAQ: You Ask, We Answer
“What if your primer smell bothers residents?”
We use low-odor formulas, test in small sections, and communicate with nursing staff beforehand.
“Do you background check your team?”
Absolutely. Every crew member is vetted—and trained to work around sensitive environments.
“Can you finish rooms same-day?”
Yes. We stage materials and schedule to complete full areas quickly—so residents don’t live in chaos.
“How do you prevent dust and debris?”
Festool HEPA systems, plastic containment, and meticulous cleanup.
“Do you do memory care or Alzheimer’s units?”
Yes—and we adapt our workflows to ensure safety, quiet, and minimal disruption.
Why D’Franco Is Trusted in Hospitals and Senior Living
- Family-owned, local, and hands-on
- Staff trained specifically for healthcare and senior living work
- Experience with both new construction and occupied facility renovations
- Deep understanding of how to work around residents, routines, and real life
When it’s time to renovate, repaint, or reimagine a facility—you want a team that gets it.
Let’s schedule your project the right way—on time, on budget, and without tripping any alarms. 😉
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Working in senior care? You need a painter who knows the difference between drywall dust and disco dust.
Let’s make your facility safer, cleaner, and better looking—without the drama.