Sadly, seniors 65 and older are more likely to die in the colder winter than at any other time in the UK. This is primarily because seniors are more susceptible to getting sick in the colder seasons. Cold weather naturally suppresses the immune system. As a result, it can enhance the risk of getting sick through viral infection or other means. You are also much more likely to get sick because you spend much more time indoors with others. While you cannot stop elderly loved ones from getting sick, there are things you can do to care for them during the winter. Here are some tips to use.
1. Keep An Eye On Illness
One of the things you can do is monitor your loved ones for illness. You can generally tell if someone is sick by the way they act. They might be dealing with an infection if they are drained of energy. An infection can strip away a lot of energy. Also, they may have an illness if they are coughing or constantly blowing their nose. These are all signs you want to watch during the winter months. Unfortunately, even a seemingly small cold can be dangerous.
2. Keep Your Loved Ones Warm
You want to ensure that you keep elderly people as warm as possible during winter. You want to ensure their home is warm enough to be comfortable. The fact is, it takes older people longer to get warm than younger people. They end up losing body heat much faster. Likewise, they are much less active. Because of this, they tend to get colder; some may not even realize it.
It’s best to keep your home around 18 degrees Celsius. You also want to encourage them to wear sufficient clothing for insulation, even around the house. Wearing supportive slippers can help provide insulation from the cold floors too. Adding a hot water bottle to their bed or under a blanket on their couch can be a good way to help keep them warm.
3. Offer To Help
If you know someone that is elderly and they are living alone in the winter, you could go ahead and offer to help them. Even something as simple as picking up groceries or their medicines for them can do wonders for keeping them safe. Click here for ways to keep more mobile through the winter. Venturing outside in cold temperatures isn’t as dangerous for you as it is for them. This can be a practical way of improving their lives and keeping them safe. It can also be a confidence booster for them, knowing that someone is willing to do such kind acts to help them.
4. Be There For Them
Simply being there for them is another thing you can do. Research shows that as many as 1 million elderly people don’t even get to spend to their friends, family, or neighbours. A lot of times, they just need someone to talk to. They don’t always need help by way of you doing something for them. The majority of people need someone to talk to. We are social beings. Try to drop by or call them once in a while to check on them and perhaps be someone they can vent to. This can help more than you realize.