Keep Your Loved One Safe in Cold Weather

There is a chill in the air! Winter has certainly arrived.

And while we all should take precautions this time of year, our team of in-home care providers at Qualicare wants you to know the extra precautions that need to be taken when it comes to our elderly loved ones during the coldest months. 

Stay Safe in Cold Weather

During the winter, there is a higher risk of slips and falls, especially with our older loved ones. Older adults are at a high risk of falls year-round, with as many as one-third falling each year. The extra hazards that winter brings present even more challenges, fall prevention-wise.

To help prevent falls in your loved one, make sure he or she is wearing the proper shoes with excellent traction. Also, make sure you leave the home in plenty of time to get to your destination without having to rush. Having the extra time to walk to and from places can help to reduce risk of slips and falls. 

In addition to slips and falls, hypothermia is also a risk for older adults this time of year. Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature falls well below normal levels. 

There are a number of reasons this can happen:

• Exhaustion
• Older age
• Mental problems
• Certain medical conditions
• Medications

To help your loved one avoid hypothermia, you want to make sure your elderly loved one is wearing several layers of loose clothing at all times when outdoors. This includes protecting the head, ears and feet with appropriate layering.

However, even indoors, you want to make sure your loved one isn’t at risk for hypothermia. Therefore, you want to make sure you keep your home warm enough, as well as have your loved one wear long underwear, socks and slippers as needed depending on the outside temperature.

Are you looking for additional care for your loved one? Contact our in-home care providers at Qualicare to learn how we can help!