by Judie Schwerdtfeger
While we're clearly used to cold winter conditions in Oklahoma, the nasty temperatures recently have been especially painful. I thought it was worth a reminder that we all need to be extra careful and to pay special attention to the elderly in our communities. Please be kind and check in on your parents, senior family members, and older Oklahoma City neighbors and friends.
Changes that come with aging can make it harder for you to be aware of getting cold.
Wear several layers of loose clothing when it's cold. The layers will trap warm air between them. Don't wear tight clothing because it can keep your blood from flowing freely. This can lead to loss of body heat.
Ask your doctor how the medicines you are taking affect body heat. Some medicines used by older people can increase the risk of accidental hypothermia. These include drugs used to treat anxiety, depression, or nausea. Some over-the-counter cold remedies can also cause problems.
When the temperature has dropped, drink alcohol moderately, if at all. Alcoholic drinks can make you lose body heat.
Some illnesses may make it harder for your body to stay warm. These include problems with your body's hormone system such as low thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), health problems that keep blood from flowing normally (like diabetes), and some skin problems where your body loses more heat than normal.
Those over the age of 65 account for nearly half of all hypothermia deaths. As the body ages, the ability to maintain a normal internal body temperature decreases, creating an insensitivity to moderately cold temperatures. Seniors may not realize they are putting themselves at risk until symptoms appear. Symptoms of hypothermia include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. If symptoms are present, immediate medical attention is necessary.
Cold weather heightens the risk of house fires as we all strive to find more ways to stay warm. Here's what to avoid:
Never use a stove or oven to heat the home.
If using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away – things such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs. Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.
If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.
Use generators correctly – never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage.
Don't hook a generator up to the home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment someone wants to power directly to the outlets on the generator.
While we're clearly used to cold winter conditions in Oklahoma, the nasty temperatures recently have been especially painful. I thought it was worth a reminder that we all need to be extra careful and to pay special attention to the elderly in our communities. Please be kind and check in on your parents, senior family members, and older Oklahoma City neighbors and friends.
Tips on Senior Citizen Winter Safety
Changes that come with aging can make it harder for you to be aware of getting cold.
Wear several layers of loose clothing when it's cold. The layers will trap warm air between them. Don't wear tight clothing because it can keep your blood from flowing freely. This can lead to loss of body heat.
Ask your doctor how the medicines you are taking affect body heat. Some medicines used by older people can increase the risk of accidental hypothermia. These include drugs used to treat anxiety, depression, or nausea. Some over-the-counter cold remedies can also cause problems.
When the temperature has dropped, drink alcohol moderately, if at all. Alcoholic drinks can make you lose body heat.
Health Problems
Some illnesses may make it harder for your body to stay warm. These include problems with your body's hormone system such as low thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), health problems that keep blood from flowing normally (like diabetes), and some skin problems where your body loses more heat than normal.
Did You Know That:
Those over the age of 65 account for nearly half of all hypothermia deaths. As the body ages, the ability to maintain a normal internal body temperature decreases, creating an insensitivity to moderately cold temperatures. Seniors may not realize they are putting themselves at risk until symptoms appear. Symptoms of hypothermia include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. If symptoms are present, immediate medical attention is necessary.
Fire Safety in Oklahoma City
Cold weather heightens the risk of house fires as we all strive to find more ways to stay warm. Here's what to avoid:
Never use a stove or oven to heat the home.
If using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away – things such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs. Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.
If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.
Use generators correctly – never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage.
Don't hook a generator up to the home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment someone wants to power directly to the outlets on the generator.
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