Staying Safe And Healthy This Winter
Now that summer is over for another year and winter is just around the corner, lots of people are starting to plan ahead for the upcoming colder months. For many, the change in the season doesn’t have too much of an effect on their daily lives, but for the elderly, winter can be a very difficult time of the year. If you have elderly relatives and you’re wondering how you can help them to stay safe, healthy and happy this winter, below we have looked into different ways you can support them as the weather starts to get colder outside.
Why the elderly need to be extra cautious during the winter months
It is really important for the elderly to be more cautious during the colder months and the change in the season will affect them more than it does other generations. As people get older, their bodies change and this results in them being more susceptible to common winter colds and other bugs that are around at this time of the year. Their immune system isn’t as strong as it used to be either and they will find it harder to fight off any viruses that they do catch.
Not to mention, elderly people tend to have weaker muscles too and this can result in them being less able than they used to be. Leaving the house independently during the winter months is something that many are wary of doing and they will choose to stay at home rather than braving the winter weather to get to appointments or go food shopping, for example.
How you can support your loved one this winter
When you have elderly loved ones who still live independently at home, there are lots of different ways that you can support them throughout the winter months. Simply encouraging them to; eat warming and nutritious meals, stay active even when it’s cold outside, turn their heating up, wash their hands frequently and contact their GP or pharmacist if they’re worried about their health, can make a big difference at this time of the year.
If you’re able to, you should try to visit your elderly relatives on a more regular basis during the winter too. Not only will visiting provide you with the opportunity to check on your loved ones and see how their health seems, but it also enables you to look around their home and make sure that they have everything that they need at this time of the year. You may find that during your visit, you’re able to help with general winter house maintenance that they will struggle to do themselves now that they’re older too. Of course, regularly visiting elderly relatives is so important for their mental wellbeing as well and your visits will help to prevent them from being lonely if they’re not getting out and about as much now that it’s cold outside.
How a home care agency can help over the winter
Throughout the winter months, if you’re unable to help your loved ones yourself, it is worthwhile considering enlisting the help of a home care agency. Even if you don’t think your elderly relatives need support all year round, having a care worker visit them throughout the winter can be incredibly beneficial, and it can provide you with complete peace of time that they’re being taken care of and that they’re not going without anything they need.
Employing a part-time carer just for the winter months is one of the best ways to make sure that your elderly relatives are staying healthy. A care worker will be able to assist them with everything from doing the food shopping to attending doctor appointments and collecting essential prescriptions. The domiciliary care and support that they provide can be completely tailored to the needs of your loved ones and you can create a care plan that is suitable for them throughout the winter months.
It is worth noting that home care agencies can solely provide companionship care to your elderly relatives as well and if you’re unable to visit them frequently, this type of care is so important. Simply arranging for a carer to pop in for a cup of tea and a friendly chat can help to prevent loneliness and isolation, both of which are really common during the winter. There are also free befriending services that may be worthwhile looking into for your loved ones too and this type of social care service can be via the phone or face-to-face.
Arranging some additional support for a loved one this winter
If you would like to arrange for a home care agency to provide some care and support to your loved one this winter, this is something that we can help you with here at Care Captains. We provide a care brokerage service whereby we can help you to arrange the most suitable high-quality care services for your loved one. We work with a range of home care agencies across the UK and you can trust that we will help you to choose the best team of care workers to provide the home care services that your loved one needs this winter.
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