Every season brings its joys and its dangers. For your loved one, staying safe in an extremely cold region of the country is very important to her safety and well-being, and home care providers can help.
Cold Weather is Especially Dangerous for Seniors
As people age, they have a greater chance of being negatively affected by cold weather. Changes in the body can make it more difficult for them to realize they are becoming too cold, making it more difficult for them to warm up and even increasing their odds of developing a cold-related injury or illness. Several common health conditions of the elderly can also create dangerous health situations for your loved one if she is exposed to too much cold.
- Cognitive decline and memory issues may make her more likely to dress inappropriately for a naturally colder home during the winter months.
- Thyroid issues can affect her body’s ability to stay at a normal body temperature.
- Diabetes can slow down blood flow, making it more difficult for her body to provide warmth to all areas that need it.
- Medications may affect body heat as well.
Six Safety Tips for Your Senior and Her Home
This winter, keep your elderly loved one warm by following these tips and home care.
- Make sure her home is set at a temperature that is warm enough to keep her warm all day and night. For sleeping, an electric blanket can help if her home is naturally drafty. If cost is a concern, consider shutting off rooms she doesn’t use and heating the rooms she does use more often.
- Dress in layers. This can help both inside and outside. Layers will help her body retain its body heat and then if she does become warmer, she can discard extra layers.
- Remember those feet and hands especially. Wool socks are best for keeping toes warm while in the house. Another way to keep feet properly warm is to have a nice pair of warm slippers with non-slip soles to wear around the home and prevent the feet from touching cold floors.
- Use the sun. Open up those curtains during the day to let the sun warm the house naturally. Close them at night to reduce drafts.
- Use the oven. This is a great time of year for baking up delicious treats and cooking big meals like a pot roast that sits in the oven most of the day. The residual heat from the oven will keep the home warm and eating warm hearty meals can help your loved one’s body stay fueled and able to keep itself warm.
- Be active. Moving around the home by cleaning the house, dancing in front of the TV, or going up and down the stairs can keep blood flowing and your loved one warm.
Let Home Care Providers Help With Winter Safety
You may not always be able to be around to help provide rides or shovel snow from the sidewalks. By having a regular home care provider visit your loved one’s home regularly, your home care provider can step in and help with tasks around the home that will keep her safe and warm this winter. They are also great resources for sharing concerns with caregivers if your elderly loved one is not always comfortable sharing about areas where she or her home may need help.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care in Cimarron Hills, CO, please contact the caring staff at Talem Home Care & Placement Services of Colorado Springs, CO, today. Call (719) 639-2663
At Talem Home Care & Placement Services of Colorado Springs, CO, we provide passionate, understanding, and flexible caregivers in Colorado Springs, Air Force Academy, Black Forest, Cimarron Hills, Fort Carson, Gleneagle, Larkspur, Manitou Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake, Perry Park, Rock Creek Park, Security-Widefield, Stratmoor, and Woodmoor and surrounding areas in Colorado.
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