Hi Chealsea here with solution for seniors podcast.

Before I get started, I want to thank Home Helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring Solutions for senior podcast. If you or your loved ones are in the Kankakee or will county area call home helpers at 815-4401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/kankakee

On this week’s episode of solutions for seniors I’m going to be talking about 7 winter safety tips for our aging loved ones. While it is important to keep them safe, we can use this tip to keep ourselves safe as well. During the winter months, ice, snow and cold temperatures can make life challenging for anyone. Slippery sidewalks and cold weather can cause a wide range of injuries and illnesses, especially for older people. Weather you help your aging loved one on a regular basis or your loved one has help hired into their home. Regular help can help keep them safe during any season. Let’s talk about tips for preventing common cold weather dangers to our aging loved ones.

1. Avoid slipping and falling on ice

Icy, snowy roads and sidewalks make it easy to slip and fall. "Unfortunately, falls are a common occurrence for senior citizens, especially during the winter months, Often these falls cause major injuries such as hip and wrist fractures, head trauma and major lacerations. When we are younger, we often recover relatively quickly from such injuries, while our aging loved ones face complications.

2. Dress for warmth

If our loved one stay in the cold temperature to long it can lead to frostbite and hypothermia, a condition in which the body temperature drops too low.

3. Fight wintertime depression

It can be difficult and dangerous to get around, so our aging loved ones will have less contact with others during cold months.

4. Check the car

While driving during the winter can be hazardous for anyone. But it is especially dangerous for our aging loved ones. They may not drive as often anymore or their reflexes may not be as quick as they once were..

5. Prepare for power outages

Especially when our aging loved ones live alone we need to prepare them. Winter storms can lead to power outages. Make sure your older loved one has easy access to flashlights and a battery-powered radio in case the power goes out.

6. Eat a varied diet

Because are aging loved ones spend more time indoors they will eat a smaller variety of foods. That can cause nutritional deficits, especially vitamin D deficiency (which has been associated with health concerns like cognitive decline, depression and osteoporosis, among others)

And lastly,

7. Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

Ensure your loved one's safety by checking the batteries on their carbon monoxide detector and buying an updated one if you need to. Using a fireplace, gas heater or lanterns can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

The most important tip to keep in mind during the colder months is to encourage our aging loved ones to ask for help. Whether they need to clear their property of snow and ice, or stock up on groceries, they should feel free to ask a family member or neighbor or hire a professional.

Wintertime certainly poses challenges for older adults, but with a bit of planning and awareness, they will stay healthy and experience the joys of springtime soon enough.

Thank you so much for joining me this week while I talked about winter safety, join we next week for different winter activities for our aging loved one.