Winter Emergency Prep for Seniors

With plunging temperatures and icy weather conditions, winter can be an especially tricky time of year to navigate for seniors. Dangers like icy sidewalks, for example, are rampant and a common cause of winter injuries. Let’s face it – winter weather and seniors often don’t mix that well.

With that in mind, here are 10 tips to help seniors prepare for a winter emergency and stay safe through the season:

• Ask yourself: is this trip really necessary? Good advice for people of any age – but especially seniors who are more at risk of broken bones from a fall – is to pay attention to the forecast and current weather conditions before venturing outdoors. Are sidewalks and streets icy? If so, try to avoid unnecessary trips until the weather improves. And if you choose to leave your residence, remember to have a “Plan B.” Put warm blankets in your car in case of a winter emergency and you become stranded, and make sure you have a charged cell phone in your pocket.
• Don’t underestimate the cold. Hypothermia and frostbite are dangerous consequences that can result from over-exposure to cold temperatures. It’s best to limit time outside and cover your extremities with warm gloves, socks and hats. In addition, be vigilant for signs of hypothermia, which include pale, ashy-looking skin, confusion, fatigue and problems walking. Don’t be misled if your senior loved one isn’t shivering, as older adults don’t shiver as readily as their younger counterparts.
• Plan ahead. If winter weather is on the way, make sure you and your loved ones have an ample supply of food and that prescriptions are filled if there’s a risk of being snowed in.
• Don’t dig yourself into a hole. Shoveling snow can be hazardous for several reasons, ranging from exposure to the cold, excess stress on the shoveler’s heart and the danger of a fall. Seniors shouldn’t attempt to clear their own snow without first asking their doctor if it’s safe to do so. Even then, caution is a must. Work only in short shifts, and take frequent breaks to warm up and get a drink of water. You can also enlist the help of a family member or neighbor, or hire a local snow removal service to keep driveways and walkways clear.
• Heating up. Seniors tend not to retain body temperature like they did when they were younger, so it’s important to take extra steps to stay comfortably warm during the coldest months of the year — even when inside. Just like when we’re outdoors in wintery weather, dressing in layers is the key to staying nice and toasty. Other ways to keep comfortable include using a heating pad or a bean or rice bag warmed in the microwave as a portable source of heat.
• Spaced out. While there are lots of ways to stay warm, space heaters aren’t always a good option. In addition to posing a fire hazard, electric space heaters have cords that are easy to trip over, while propane and kerosene heaters pose a carbon monoxide poisoning threat.
• The big chill. Avoid a chill at shower or bath time by remembering to turn the thermostat up a couple of degrees before you bathe. It’s easier to stay warm than it is to get warm once you’re wet and cold.
• Drink up. A cool drink can be extremely refreshing on a hot summer day. But in winter months, even if older adults aren’t working up a sumner sweat, it’s important to get enough water to drink to avoid dehydration. Proper hydration is key to staying in good health.
• The skinny about skin. Make sure your skin remains in good health by fighting the cold, dry conditions with a liberal dose of moisturizer. When we’re over 60, our skin doesn’t retain moisture like it used to. Moisturizer can prevent itchy, painful, and dried out skin.
• Don’t forget to visit! It’s common for people to stay inside more during inclement and unpleasant weather than we might in the summertime. If you skip your regular visit to see your senior loved one, it can cause them to feel isolated and depressed. Visit as much as is safely possible and, if the weather keeps you home, at least make sure to call and check in regularly.

Follow these tips to prep for winter weather conditions and stay safe and cozy all season long.

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