Winter is a hard time for seniors, and most Texans for that matter, as we are used to much warmer temps. Many find themselves on their own during storms and cold fronts, making senior safety a crucial detail to focus on. Luckily, staying safe in the winter doesn’t have to be impossible or even challenging!
Protecting Senior Safety & Health
These details will help you narrow your focus and protect your health at all costs. While this is geared towards older folks, it is also very useful for all individuals.
Keep your diet steady
It’s very easy for seniors to lose weight when skipping a meal or two. During the winter months it’s important for seniors to keep their weight consistent throughout the cold winter months, and even gain a few pounds if your doctor okays it.
Fat insulates the body and helps it stay warm during colder times. If you lose weight, you are essentially losing your insulation to keep you warm. This can make staying warm a very difficult task for mature adults. If you find your weight dropping, pull on some warm layers to compensate as much as possible.
Protect your head and feet
Your head and feet are responsible for helping regulate your body temperature. If you are cold or you want to keep from getting cold, make sure that you put on a hat and socks or slippers. This helps you keep from losing heat and also gives you that “warm and cozy feeling” that is so helpful for those coldest days of winter!
Dress in layers
You don’t necessarily have to pull on a huge sweater and thermal underwear to ward off the cold if you don’t want to. Try to dress in light layers that are easy for you to remove or add on as you need to. This helps you adjust your natural heat and comfort without having to compromise on either of those things.
Block off your energy loss areas
Perhaps it’s a drafty room that you need to block off or put draft guards on “leaky” windows or doors. Do what you can to keep your home’s warmth inside of it rather than seeping outside into the environment, at your expense.
Invest in smart tech
Smart technology can be expensive and often above and beyond what most seniors want, for reasons beyond just the cost. However, having smart technology to control thermostats from your phone, answer the doorbell and unlock doors without getting up, etc., can really help add a layer of safety to seniors living alone during the winter season, or any season. If technology is not your jam, as it can be confusing for us all, enlist a friend, grandkid, adult child, or neighbor to help you with these things so you can make better sense of it.
Be ready to call in reinforcements
One of the most important things that seniors (and anyone for that matter) can do to keep themselves safe and healthy all winter long is to be ready to call in help and support from loved ones who are nearby. Whether it needing help with general household tasks or running errands, knowing when to ask for help is a huge benefit that will keep everyone healthy, safe, and sound this winter.
Before the cold sets in, focus on these important tasks and reminders to help everyone get through the winter season without emergencies or health disasters. Tips like these help you see just how simple changes can make all of the difference in the lives of seniors and those who care for them.
Contact the team at Paula Smith Insurance, your League City Insurance Agent at (281) 488-8880 with any questions on your personal insurance needs.