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November 14th, 2024

How to help keep the elderly warm and safe in winter

During the latter part of autumn and the cold, winter months, it is important to help older people stay safe and warm. Although cold weather can affect anyone, as we grow older we are more prone to losing body heat, often without even realising it.

During the cold weather, older adults are at an increased risk for slips and falls and illnesses such as colds, cases of flu, pneumonia and even hypothermia.

Here we offer some tips and guidance on how to help your loved ones stay warm and well throughout the winter months.

The dangers of cold weather for older people

Older adults lose body heat faster than younger people, which often makes it difficult for them to tolerate colder weather. This is mainly due to the natural decrease in metabolic rate that occurs as we age, which lowers the amount of heat the body can produce.

If a person’s body temperature dips below the standard 37°C, dangerous health problems can arise, such as hypothermia. Hypothermia is a condition caused by an abnormally low body temperature and it sets in when body temperature dips below 35°C.

Older adults have a thinner layer of fat under the skin, making them even more susceptible to the cold. Health conditions that are more prevalent in old age like diabetes, peripheral artery disease and kidney disease can also restrict blood flow and lower body temperature.

Various other factors that contribute to cold sensitivity as we age include:

· Low blood pressure

· Loss of elasticity of the blood vessels

· Slower circulation

· Side effects of certain medications

If you or a loved one start to feel unwell due to the cold weather, seek advice from a pharmacist, or doctor or call the NHS helpline – 111. Don’t wait until the problem becomes serious to take action

Tips for keeping safe and warm in winter

Wear shoes with grip

The combination of wet weather and cold winter temperatures can cause dangerous black ice to form on the roads and paths. Black ice is difficult for anyone to spot and can lead to slips and falls.

One way to protect your loved ones is to ensure they have the appropriate winter footwear. Help them choose a pair of winter boots or shoes that are waterproof and comfortable with lots of grip. This will allow them to enjoy being outdoors while helping prevent slips and falls.

Wear warm clothing

Bundling up in warm clothing is especially important during the winter months. Make sure your loved ones wrap up well with a warm coat, a fleece or wool jumper and a sturdy pair of boots. We lose much of our body heat from our heads and necks, so ensure they also have a warm scarf and hat as well.

While a thick jumper may seem like a good choice, wearing several layers will actually keep you warmer. This is because air becomes trapped between the different layers and acts as a form of insulation. Base layers such as thermal underwear or long-sleeved cotton shirts can be worn close to the skin with a cosy fleece or jumper on top.

Waterproof coats are also a great way to keep from getting wet. Just make sure they have something warm and cosy to wear underneath.

Check the weather

Heavy winds can quickly lower body temperature. Keep an eye on the weather forecast for particularly cold or windy days. On those days, encourage your loved ones to try to stay inside or in a warm place. If they must go out, make sure they dress for the weather and try to encourage them not to stay in the cold or wind for very long.

Keep moving

If your loved ones will be spending time outdoors, encourage them to keep moving to help their body regulate their own temperature. Try and encourage your loved ones to move around at least once an hour and avoid sitting still for long periods.

We know this can be easier said than done, especially if your loved one is living with frailty or mobility concerns. Here we provide some guidance and advice on physical activities that can help older adults stay active at any age.

Enjoy hot meals and drinks

Hot meals and warm foods can help keep you warm on a cold winter’s day. Eating warm and nutritionally-balanced meals can also keep your immune system healthy and prevent colds and cases of flu. Hearty soups and stews, porridge, jacket potatoes, and pasta dishes are all good choices to help older adults stay warm during winter.

Keeping warm at home

Cold temperatures can affect older adults even in their own homes. Here are some tips on how you can help your loved ones keep their homes warm this winter:

· Keep the home adequately heated at a temperature of at least 20°C to 21°C

· To save on heating bills, consider closing off rooms you are not using

· A hot water bottle or electric blanket can be used to warm a bed, but avoid using both at the same time as it can be dangerous

· If possible, move your sofa away from your radiator – while it may feel cosy, it can stop hot air from circulating properly

· Keep the windows and door shut tight and use draught excluders to help keep cold air out

· Draw your curtains as soon as it gets dark to help stop draughts from getting in

· The ground is where cool air circulates – use rugs to cover cold floors and try and keep your feet up if you feel cold

Seeing friends regularly lowers dementia risk, study suggests

Being socially active in your fifties and sixties lowers the risk of developing dementia in later life, according to new research.

Academics at University College London found that someone who saw friends almost daily at the age of 60 was 12 per cent less likely to develop dementia than someone who only saw one or two friends every couple of months.

Having an active social life “at any age may well have a similar impact on reducing dementia risk”, according to the researchers.

Socialising promotes the use of memory and language, which could help minimise the effect of dementia, according to Professor Gill Livingston, a senior author of the report.

She added: “People who are socially engaged are exercising cognitive skills such as memory and language, which may help them to develop cognitive reserve – while it may not stop their brains from changing, cognitive reserve could help people cope better with the effects of age and delay any symptoms of dementia.

Read more by visiting The Independent website.

February 23rd, 2023

A quarter of elderly people have kept a fall they had at home a secret from family and friends

A study of 2,000 people aged 65+, commissioned by the Connected Care Platform provider Anthropos, were asked why they kept it secret, with 26 per cent saying they can deal with any care issue themselves, 16 per cent don’t want to be labelled ‘vulnerable’ and 18 per cent don’t want to acknowledge they’re getting older.

Almost a third (29 per cent) of people aged 65+ have hidden their need for any type of care support from loved ones.

Secrets kept to avoid ‘burdening’ family

Thirty-nine per cent admitted they would keep their feelings a secret from loved ones to avoid burdening them.

These secrets aren’t just limited to falls; the other most common issues are reduced mobility, changes in toilet habits, forgetfulness, sleeping difficulties and loss of balance.

Jim Patience, chief executive of Anthropos, which focuses on passive falls detection without the use of wearable devices, said: “Considering there are 11 million people aged 65 and over, the research really brings home just how widespread these issues are. If we extrapolated these numbers across the whole of the UK, it could indicate that every year around 2.6 million people fall, with 686,000 people not telling anyone about it.

“It fits into the wider pattern we’ve found that so many older people are hiding care concerns. We hope adults of all ages consider how these findings may support gentle, sensitive conversations with the older people in their lives about all care matters, from falls to forgetfulness.”

November 19th, 2022

Care leaders warn social care is ‘more than discharge arm of NHS’ as Hunt delays cap

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said in his Autumn Statement speech that there were “very difficult times ahead” for people and said he must delay a cap on social care costs by two years but angry care leaders are warning that care is “much more than the discharge arm of the NHS”.

From October 2023, the government had planned to introduce a new £86,000 cap on the amount anyone in England has to spend on their personal care over their lifetime, but the policy is now being pushed back to 2025.

Jeremy Hunt to use social care to ‘free up 13,500 hospital beds’

Mr Hunt said he’d “listened to extensive representations about the challenges facing the social care sector.“

“I also heard very real concerns from local authorities particularly about their ability to deliver the Dilnot reforms immediately. So I will delay the implementation of this important reform for two years, allocating the funding to allow local authorities to provide more care packages.”

To get the social care system to help free up 13,500 hospital beds “occupied by those who should be at home”, Mr Hunt announced additional grant funding for adult social care of £1 billion next year and £1.7 billion the year after.

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