{"id":15734,"date":"2020-06-26T08:28:33","date_gmt":"2020-06-26T08:28:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/?p=15734"},"modified":"2020-06-26T08:28:49","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T08:28:49","slug":"winter-safety-tips-for-older-adults","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/winter-safety-tips-for-older-adults\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Safety Tips for Older Adults"},"content":{"rendered":"

Winter has most definitely hit Australia with the country getting colder by the day. If you are caring for an older adult, it\u2019s important to be aware of the risks that winter brings for them.<\/p>\n

Older adults lose body heat faster than when they were younger, and if they are too cold for too long, they can get very sick. Changes in the body that come with ageing can also make it harder for older adults to notice that they are getting cold and a chill can become a serious problem before they realise. In severe cases, they may end up with hypothermia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hypothermia is a condition that occurs when the body temperature gets very low. A study conducted across The\u00a0Alfred and Sandringham\u00a0emergency departments<\/a> found 217 people presented to the emergency department with hypothermia\u00a0between 2009 and 2016. Of those, 11 per cent died.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Being outside in the cold for long periods or even being in a very cold house can be very dangerous for the elderly and can cause serious health issues such as heart attack, kidney problems and liver damage. The following are some tips to help protect older people in your care and lower their risk this winter.<\/p>\n

Keep Warm Inside<\/h2>\n

An elderly person living in a cold house can get hypothermia as they typically have more problems keeping warm than younger people. As such, it is important to ensure it doesn’t get too cold inside and they are dressed warmly.<\/p>\n

The following are some additional tips for keeping warm while you’re inside:<\/p>\n