It is Autumn, and as the weather gets colder, so does our elderly loved ones. It is important to protect seniors from the cold, as each cold weather month many seniors die from hypothermia. Our bodies are not able to protect us as much from the cold weather as we age, which can become very dangerous for seniors.
Keeping a seniors’ home warm during the cold seasons is very important. Furnaces should be properly checked before each winter and maintained throughout the winter months to ensure safety. If your senior loved one is aging at home with homecare services, make sure that the homecare professionals know how to maintain the furnace and temperature control settings. In a Senior Care Facility, be sure that the staff is keeping your senior loved ones’ room at a warm, but not too hot, temperature.
Wearing more clothes and properly cold-weather attire is necessary for aging adults. Seniors in a care facility may require an extra blanket or thicker socks, therefore have these items available for the nursing home staff to put-on your senior loved one. The same goes for those who are receiving at-home care services. Safety measures such as slip resistant boots, handrails for outside areas, and keeping ice melting salts on the outside stairs will help seniors from becoming injured. Your senior loved one living alone should have a senior alert system for emergencies. This device truly comes in handy for the winter and cold months, as many seniors experience falls and other cold weather related injuries.
