When the weather gets bad, every child in the country is praying for a ‘snow day’ so they can stay home from school, sledge down the local hill and build snowmen with their friends. However, as we age, bad weather is not so fun. Ice and snow pose real dangers to older people, both inside and outside the home. Here we share a few tips to make life safer and easier for older people during cold weather.
Avoid slips and falls
Slips and falls can be devastating to an older person, causing bruises, fractures, and other injuries. It can also cause a real loss of confidence that lasts much longer than the physical injuries. However, there are some simple steps to take that can lower the risk:
- Use salt to remove ice and snow from paths and steps (never use warm water to melt the ice as it may come back later and be more slippery).
- In very bad spells, only go out if necessary: if friends or family can go to the shops for you, or if you can get home deliveries for essentials, you are reducing your risk.
- Get medications delivered with automatic electronic prescriptions. If in doubt both your GP surgery and local pharmacy can advise or even subscribe you to an online service.
- Wear appropriate footwear: shoes need to have a good grip on the sole, have strong support around the foot and ankle, and be well-fitting.
- If you have a stick but do not normally need it, consider using it in bad weather, and if you don’t have one, consider getting one.
Keep the heating on
As the cost of energy continues to rise, it is tempting to reduce use, including in the winter months. If you are, or have a friend or relative, in this position, make sure you help yourself to keep warm enough. Check that:
- Heating and lights are off in unused rooms.
- Insulation grants are in place if applicable, so your home is as efficient as possible.
- Any portable heaters are safe and do not present a risk of fire or burning.
- Smoke and CO2 alarms are working and have adequate battery life.
- Central heating is working correctly and set to come on at the right times, or the thermostat is set to the right temperature.
- If eligible, you receive Winter Fuel Payment (and Cold Weather Payment if there is a cold spell between November and March where the temperature stays below zero degrees Celsius for a week or more)
Wear plenty of layers
Wearing several layers rather than a single thick jumper is a more effective way to keep us warm. Ensuring you, or your older loved one, have the support to get dressed every day may be even more important than usual during the colder months.
Eat warming meals regularly
We need a balanced diet all year round, but when the weather is cold, our body will use a lot of calories just to stay warm. You might want to have smaller, more regular meals, and should always try and have something warming at every meal. For example, a tin of soup can be easy to prepare, provide a good balanced meal and get something warm into you with little effort. It may be a good idea to have microwave meals in the freezer so that if supplies cannot get in, you can still eat tasty warming meals.
Ensure you have company
Sometimes the weather will be too bad to go out, and dark short winter days can be lonely. Spend some time with others, even just watching TV or playing a game. If you cannot visit or the cannot come to you as much as you want to, consider exploring support options – such as daily visits or trips to day centres.
Be ready in the event of a power cut
Take some simple precautions to ensure you are well prepared in the event of a temporary power cut:
- Have torches on hand that can be easily found in the dark. If possible, ensure you have one in each room or floor, to avoid having to travel long distances in the dark.
- Be careful of using candles – they are an ongoing cause of accidental fires in households.
- Keep mobile phones fully charged
- Be aware if your heating is electric as you may lose it. This may also apply to some gas heating which is powered by electricity. Discuss with your family a suitable plan for your circumstances.
- If you do lose your heating, put on additional clothing or blankets.
- Have high calorific foods available that do not need cooking, like chocolate and sweets (if your health allows it)