Avoiding The Hazards Of Winter
Winter in Wisconsin is unavoidable, unless you’re a snowbird and head south when the cold
comes. And along with winter comes hazards such as slippery ice and cold air. These can be
scary, especially for senior citizens who are less steady on their feet or who get colder easier.
As you look at the calendar and see that winter is here to stay in the Green Bay area, here are some ways to avoid the hazards that come along with the most bitter time of the year.
Bundle Up…Or Just Stay Indoors
On cold days, the best spot to be is inside. Seniors are much more susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite. Many medical conditions, including diabetes, and medications, can preventproper blood flow and the body from getting warm enough. As seniors age, they also lose muscle mass and their balance decreases, which can make heading out treacherous, especially with black ice and slick spots that can cause dangerous falls. On icy and cold days, the safest spot for them is indoors.
If seniors do need to leave the home, ensure they are prepared. Do not stay out for long periods of time. When seniors are out, ensure they are bundled up in layers and warm enough clothes. Hats, scarves, mittens and gloves are necessary to protect the extremities on extremely cold days and nights. If it is snowing, sleeting or even raining, ensure your outerwear is waterproof. In addition to normal outerwear, using hard and feet warmers can also help.
Ensure It’s Safe Indoors
While it might seem like the outdoors is where the danger lies for senior citizens in winter, indoors can also cause problems. According to the NIH, about 20 percent of injuries are related tocold exposure actually happen within the home. Often trying to save money, seniors will not turn their heat up high enough. Ensure the heat is at least 68 degrees inside. The NIH says even homes temperatures from 60 to 65 can lead to hypothermia in old adults. To help keep your seniors warm, ensure there are enough warm blankets around the home, including extra blankets in each room.To keep out drafts, put towels in front of windows and doors.
Weatherproof the home with weather stripping, caulk or even window covers. Help ensure seniors have enough food in the home and that they are eating enough. Losing body fat can be
detrimental to seniors in the midst of the cold winter. Finally, reconsider space heaters. They often pose hazards, including fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. If your senior is using one,
ensure it is up to date and has an automatic shutoff after a certain period of time in case they forget to turn it off.
Stay Connected
Loneliness can be another hazard of the winter season for senior citizens. Often they do not want to venture out into the cold or onto icy roads, and people are less inclined to visit because of the conditions. The middle of winter can be a prime time for loneliness, or even the winter blues, among senior citizens. It is important to help them keep up a social connection to avoid loneliness. Have a daily or weekly check-in time with your senior loved one. Knowing that you can’t always see them in person is just the impetus you need to help teach them to use modern technology, and learn things such as how to Facetime or do a zoom call. Show them how to pick up a facetime call on their phone or ipad so you can have eyes on them even if you aren’t in the same room. Reach out to other family members and friends, and have them check on your senior.
Have the grandkids call them, text them, and send them pictures of their snowmen or craft projects to keep them in the loop on what is happening in their lives. You might even want to be old fashioned and send them a letter or pictures in the mail for your senior to look over. When the weather cooperates, visit or whisk them out of the house on an afternoon getaway to Glas Coffee in Green Bay or Shawano for a pot of tea or some warm hot chocolate. Or maybe take them to a movie, where you can forget the cold and weather outside for a few hours. Whatever it is they enjoy, maintain some social connection for your senior loved one at this time of the year, which can be very lonely.
We Can Help
Whether your senior citizen is hibernating at home or out and about, our professional caregivers at Right at Home can help them get through winter and every season of the year. Our trained professionals will come into the home to see what your needs are and offer a free assessment on ways we can help. To learn about specific care options we provide clients and their families in the Appleton and Green Bay areas, call us today at (920) 257-4667. Our office serves seniors throughout the Fox Cities communities and surrounding areas, including Outagamie, Winnebago and Calumet.
If you have a desire to help seniors in your community, consider working for Right at Home Green Bay and Appleton.We are looking for compassionate and caring people to join our team. We have immediate openings for in-home caregivers, Certified Home Health Aides and Certified Nursing Assistants. visit us online for more information.
