We want to thank you for joining us for another Quick Tips episode of All Home Care Matters. Today, we are talking about how to stay warm, stay safe, and stay active this winter. Winter can be beautiful, but dangerous for seniors. We want to make sure you can enjoy this cold weather safely! Now let’s move on to the rest of the show.

 

If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you probably heard our episode on extreme heat. If you missed the episode, you can find our episode, Keeping Seniors Safe in the Heat, wherever you listen to your podcasts and also on our YouTube channel. In this episode, we talked about how our natural ability to regulate our body temperature diminishes as we age and seniors may have trouble cooling themselves off when exposed to heat for too long. Because of this, seniors often experience heat stroke and sickness. It’s no different when it comes to colder weather.

 

According to the National Institute on Aging, older adults can lose body heat fast—faster than when they were young. Changes in your body that come with aging can make it harder for you to be aware of getting cold. A big chill can turn into a dangerous problem before an older person even knows what's happening. Doctors call this serious problem hypothermia.

 

Hypothermia is what happens when your body temperature becomes critically low. For an older person, a body temperature of 95°F or lower can cause many health problems, such as a heart attack, kidney problems, liver damage, or worse. Being outside in the cold, or even being in a very cold house, can lead to hypothermia.

 

How cold is too cold? It can be hard to tell yourself if you are experiencing hypothermia. We found Bob’s story from the National Institute on Aging that illustrates how one senior experienced hypothermia. Bob says that Vermont winters can be very cold. Last December, he wanted to save some money so he turned his heat down to 62°F. He didn't know that would put his health in danger.

 

Luckily, his son Tyler came by to check on him. Tyler saw that his dad was only wearing a light shirt and that his house was cold. Tyler said he was speaking slowly, shivering, and having trouble walking. Tyler wrapped him in a blanket and called 9-1-1.

 

It turns out that Bob had hypothermia. His son's quick thinking saved his life. Now on cold days, he keeps his heat at least at 68°F and wears a sweater in the house.

 

Bob’s story luckily has a happy ending, but if his son hadn’t stopped by, it may have ended very differently. Hypothermia can happen when you least expect it. Knowing the signs ahead of time could save your life.

 

According to HealthInAging.org, the warning signs of hypothermia include cold skin that is pale or ashy, feeling very tired, confused, and sleepy, feeling weak, problems walking, and slowed breathing or heart rate. If you notice any of these signs, call 911 immediately and try to warm up.

 

HealthInAging.org also recommends taking the following precautions to prevent hypothermia:

 

• Stay indoors (or don’t stay outside for very long).
• Keep indoor temperature at 65 degrees or warmer.
• Stay dry because wet clothing chills your body more quickly.
• Dress smart – protect your lungs from cold air and layer up! Wearing 2 or 3 thinner layers of loose-fitting clothing is warmer than a single layer of thick clothing. Think about getting your thermals!
• When going outside during the winter, make sure to wear a hat, gloves (or preferably mittens), winter coat, boots, and a scarf to cover your mouth and nose. You should also keep a backup of these items in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

 

Another major concern for seniors during the winter is frostbite. According to The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging, extreme cold can also cause frostbite, which is damage to the skin that can go all the way down to the bone. Frostbite usually affects the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, and toes. In very bad cases, it can result in loss of limbs. People with heart disease and other circulation problems are also at a higher risk of getting frostbite. To protect against frostbite, cover up all parts of your body when you go outside. If your skin turns red or dark or starts hurting, go inside immediately. You should also know the telltale signs of frostbite: numbness, skin that’s grayish-yellow or ashy, or skin that feels hard or waxy.

 

If you think you or someone else has frostbite, call for medical help immediately. A person with frostbite may also have hypothermia, so check for those symptoms, as well.

 

Seniors should also be cautious when walking outside. Snow and ice can make the ground hazardous by covering up cracks and making slick spots. Dr. Stanley Wang, a physician at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California recommends older adults wear shoes with good traction and non-skid soles and stay inside until the roads are clear. Replacing a worn cane tip can make walking easier, and older people are advised to take their shoes off as soon as they return indoors, because often snow and ice attach to the soles and, once melted, can lead to slippery conditions inside.

 

For more information about reducing your risk of a fall, you can listen to our episode on fall safety tips. If you don’t have time for a full episode, we also have a quick tips episode on fall prevention. You can find these episodes on our website, our YouTube channel, and wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Seniors should also be cautious shoveling snow. No one really enjoys this task, but it can be dangerous for older individuals. If you have heart problems, trouble balancing, or are feeling weak, you should avoid shoveling snow. If you have any health issues, ask your doctor if it is safe to shovel snow.

 

During the winter, it’s nice to sit in front of a fireplace or a heater, but make sure you are properly taking care of these heat sources to prevent fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure to properly vent and clean your fireplace and appliances and know the warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.

 

According to HealthInAging.org, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause headaches, weakness, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, and loss of consciousness. Carbon monoxide poisoning is also behind several ghost sightings. Many people that believed they were living in a haunted house actually were suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Pacific Heating and Cooling warns that if you are hearing and seeing things, feeling zapped of energy, and sense a strange presence at home, it may be due to a carbon monoxide leak. If you suspect you may have a gas leak in your home, evacuate your home and call 911 immediately. You should also have a carbon monoxide detector in your house since we can’t detect it ourselves.

 

If anyone in your family is showing any signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, you should also get them to the emergency room as soon as possible. According to Pacific Heating and Cooling, even small amounts of carbon monoxide can cause irreparable damage, including brain and organ damage. See a doctor immediately if there is any evidence of carbon monoxide leaks in the home.

 

Now that we’ve told you all about staying warm and staying safe this winter, let’s move on to the final part of our episode, staying active.

 

It may be harder to exercise in the winter when you can’t walk outside as often, but you should still exercise in other ways. Signing up for indoor classes is a great way to exercise and socialize during the winter. If you don’t want to leave your home to exercise, you can take a virtual class or use items around your home to work out.

 

The Mayo Clinic suggests doing some of the following in your home workout routine:

 

• Use cans of soup or water bottles as hand weights.
• Go from a sitting to a standing position out of a dining room chair two to three times in a row instead of just once.
• Walk up and down a hallway or large open space.
• Go up and down your stairs multiple times.
• Turn up the music and dance in your kitchen.

 

Staying active doesn’t just mean exercising. You should keep up on other social activities, as well. If you normally go for walks with a friend, consider walking around an indoor mall. Going to the movies or a museum is a great way to get out of the house and both of these activities can be done solo or with a group.

 

Whatever you do, don’t let the cold weather stop you from doing what you enjoy. As long as you bundle up and listen to your body, you can still enjoy the cold weather. Just remember to stay safe, stay warm, and stay active.

 

We want to say thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters, All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate these long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone who could benefit from this episode, please share it with them.

 

Remember, you can listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms and watch the show on our YouTube channel and make sure to hit that subscribe button, so you'll never miss an episode. We look forward to seeing you next time on All Home Care Matters, thank you.

 

Sources:

https://www.hchcares.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/wintersafety_tips.pdf

 

https://www.healthinaging.org/tools-and-tips/tip-sheet-winter-safety-older-adults

 

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/cold-weather-safety-older-adults

 

https://www.care.com/c/winter-safety-tips-for-seniors

 

https://www.pacificheatingcooling.com/2018/12/27/carbon-monoxide-hauntings-co-furnace-safety/

 

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/ways-for-seniors-to-remain-active-this-winter