Senior Safety in the Winter Months
In some of the states, winter has blasted through and left mounds of snow and freezing temperatures. So how do you stay safe when the weather outside is so dreadful?
Signs of Distress
There are some things you can look for if you think the weather is affecting you or someone else. The situation can become dangerous very quickly, so know when to call 911 for assistance.
Signs of hypothermia: When the temperature in your body drops to a dangerous level, that's called hypothermia. If you're outside in the cold for an extended period, your body temperature drops. Your body starts to lose heat quickly. When you're an older adult, your chance of hypothermia increases.
Your skin will become cold, pale, and ashy. You may become confused, sleepy, have difficulty walking, feel weak, have a slower heart rate, and slowed breathing. If you think you have hypothermia, call 911 immediately.
As a side note, if you’re shivering, it doesn’t mean you have hypothermia. When you’re older, you may shiver some or not at all when your body temperature drops below normal.
There are simple precautions that can be taken, such as not staying outside exceedingly long. Keep the indoor temperature of your home at 65 degrees or warmer. Be sure you keep your clothing dry because wet clothes will cause you to chill faster. You want to protect your lungs from the cold, so wear layers of clothing. By wearing several layers of loose-fitting, thin clothing is better than one layer of thick clothing. You should always have gloves or mittens, a winter coat, a scarf, boots, and a hat.
Signs of frostbite: Frostbite is different then hypothermia. Frostbite happens when your skin has damage that goes down to the bone. Extreme cold is when frostbite happens, and it occurs on the parts of your body that is the furthest distance away from your heart. Frostbite occurs most often on your ears, cheeks, nose, chin, toes, and fingers. If you develop a severe case, you can lose your arms and legs. If you have a circulation problem or heart disease, your risk increases.
When you go outside in the cold, all parts of your body need to be covered up. If you notice that your exposed skin starts to hurt, turns dark, or red, you need to go inside immediately. The warning signs of frostbite is if your skin is grayish-yellow, white, or ashy. Also, if your skin feels numb, rigid, or waxy. If you think you have frostbite, call 911. If frostbite does occur, run warm water on the area until help arrives.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
One thing you may not realize when using the fireplace or other heating sources is the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning. Unless your fireplace, gas and wood stove, or other gas appliances are properly vented, used, and cleaned, dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide can be leaked. Carbon monoxide can't be smelt or seen, which is why it's so deadly.
But there are some warning signs to watch out for. Suppose you develop a headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, confusion, weakness, loss of consciousness, or blurred vision. In that case, you could have carbon monoxide poisoning. If you think you have carbon monoxide poisoning, go into the fresh air and get medical help immediately.
You can do preventative maintenance to avoid this from happening. You need to have your flues and chimneys inspected by an inspector annually. If you're using a kerosene stove, remember to open a window a crack. In areas that fireplaces, kerosene heaters, wood stoves are located, hang battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors.
Place all space heaters 3 feet away from furniture, curtains, and bedding. If your power goes out, don't heat your home with a charcoal grill or gas stove. If you have a fire, don't try to put it out yourself; immediately leave the house and call 911.
Remember, for any of your home care needs, call us at Right at Home today.
