While there are many lovely things about winter, like reading by the fireplace, taking brisk walks, and wearing comfortable sweaters, it can also be a stressful time for seniors. Hazardous conditions can include slippery sidewalks and snow-covered highways. Additionally, seniors may feel more alone if they decide to stay inside due to the cold and heavy snowfall or risk being exposed if they spend too much time outside. You can do many things to ensure your loved one is prepared for whatever the winter months may bring to assist in keeping them safe and content. Keep reading to find out more about winter wellness for seniors and how you can keep them safe, healthy, and entertained:
How to Keep Seniors Safe in the Winter
Keep Sidewalks Clear
Icy and snow-covered walkways pose a significant safety concern to older adults. Ensuring your paths are clear of ice and snow can help prevent major injuries. When clearing snow off walkways, icy patches are revealed, which should be cleaned or sprayed with sand and de-icing salts.
Stock up on Food Essentials
Getting outside during snowstorms and extremely cold days can be challenging for seniors, and walking and driving may be risky. Think about storing a few necessities at your loved one’s house. When a snowfall unexpectedly arrives, goods such as toilet paper, incontinence products, non-perishable food, bottled water, and essential toiletries can be helpful.
Warm Clothes
Make sure your loved one is dressed properly for the weather. Seniors’ judgment can occasionally be impaired by aging or dementia, making it harder to select appropriate footwear or jackets for the weather. Ensure your loved one has all the winter essentials at the start of the season, such as a warm coat, hat, mittens, scarf, and boots made to withstand ice and snow.
Identification
When seniors go for walks or activities, ensure they have appropriate identification. When a snowfall hits, elders may become confused or lose their bearings. To assist the senior in returning home safely, ID and their home address can be shared with a bus driver, passerby, or police.
Health Tips for Seniors During Winter
Flu and Cold Season
Sadly, winter frequently brings the flu and cold season with it. In order to stop the flu and its transmission, you can encourage your loved one to obtain the vaccination, wash and sanitize their hands, stay in their homes if they’re feeling under the weather, and wear masks if they have to go out.
Physical and Mental Well-being
Not only should you avoid physical disease during the winter, but you should also take steps to prevent mental illness and promote good behaviors in your loved ones. In general, social interaction with family and friends is beneficial. Boredom and mental tiredness can be avoided by supporting family outings or encouraging family visits. Preventing depression and anxiety during the winter months can be achieved by encouraging both indoor and outdoor activities. Physical activity keeps one’s stamina and mobility up, while mental activities are an excellent source of cognitive exercise.
Eat Healthily
Your immune system deteriorates with aging. Even though this is a regular aspect of aging, maintaining a good diet is vital to preventing illness and serving as your body’s fuel. While eating sufficient calories and minerals can assist in maintaining healthy organs, muscles, and bones, some people notice a decrease in appetite as they age.
Seniors should ensure that fruits and vegetables are a year-round part of their diets, even though some fruits may be out of season and the cold prevents you from planting. To ensure your loved one is getting the daily recommended portions of the necessary nutrients and minerals, giving them vitamins might be an additional source of support.
Ideas for Winter Entertainment for Senior Citizens
New Hobbies
A new pastime is a great idea to take up in the winter. The senior’s interests and physical capabilities will determine what kind of hobby they choose.
- Seniors can benefit greatly from arts and crafts as an indoor winter pastime and a means of maintaining motor skills. Look up senior winter craft ideas online.
- Seniors might enjoy playing card games, chess, checkers, and other board games throughout winter.
- Solving puzzles can help keep the mind and brain engaged.
- Online games vary; some of them include Sudoku, solitaire, and crossword puzzles. Assist your senior in configuring their computer or tablet so they may use their preferred apps.
- Try indoor gardening. Look for herbs they can cook with or plants they can tend to. Search online to learn which plants thrive indoors, even in frigid climates. Look for indoor herb gardens or window gardening.
Entertainment with Music
In addition to being comforting, music also serves to stimulate the mind. Look for nearby musical performances; many are free and make for the ideal get-together activity for senior citizens. With today’s technology, there are several methods to access and enjoy music if your senior loved one is confined to their home. To do it, they might require your assistance. If your elderly loved one owns a piano, get them some fresh sheet music and get them practicing.
Wrap-up
Seniors do not have to fear the winter. You can help to ensure that safety and wellness precautions are taken throughout the cold and snowy months. Check-in with your loved ones to ensure that they are appropriately prepared for a weather event, that they are stocked with warm clothing, that they are taking care of their health. You may even urge them to participate in some new indoor activities. Seniors who get support for winter wellness are more likely to enjoy themselves and maintain their well-being throughout the season.
Sequoia Senior Solutions provides non-medical in-home care for elders on an ongoing and respite basis as well as transportation services. In addition, we provide condition-specific programs to address unique requirements and obstacles. Our objective is to provide dependable and compassionate in-home care to our elderly clients and their families in order to improve their quality of life.